MANILA, Philippines — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) warned that anyone who would attempt to help, protect or block the arrest of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa would suffer the same fate and face charges.
“If there’s a warrant and you aid a fugitive from evading justice [that’s] obstruction of justice. We will also be filing charges and we will be arresting people from resorts, houses or subdivisions who will prevent us from serving the warrant,” Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander A. Morico II told reporters in a briefing at Camp Crame on Friday.
“Do not prevent us because we have the warrant of arrest,” Morico added.
The CIDG now has a copy of the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) which will be shown to the senator upon his arrest, Morico said.
During the Senate shooting, Dela Rosa was seen exiting the premises and CCTV clips showed him with fellow Sen. Robinhood Padilla who admitted that he kept the former PNP chief in his car.
Morico said that portion of the footage remained part of their investigation but that it would be different if Dela Rosa were to be found in Padilla’s home, which would constitute obstruction of justice.
Padilla denied that he was escaping with dela Rosa who only asked to ride with him after the shooting. He also defended that the entire Senate complex was heavily secured by police who did not prevent them from leaving since there was no local warrant against the former PNP chief.
A manhunt is now on as the PNP mobilized tracker teams nationwide to locate and arrest dela Rosa.
Morico also said that the senator was still in the Philippines.
