DOJ to Bondoc: Reveal Bato’s whereabouts or risk obstruction rap

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday asked lawyer Jimmy Bondoc to disclose any information he may have on the whereabouts of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, warning that lawyer-client privilege does not excuse anyone from cooperating in the implementation of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the DOJ’s special panel of prosecutors has issued a formal letter to Bondoc after the lawyer publicly claimed in a television interview that he knows how the ICC warrant could be served on dela Rosa through his legal team.

“This is an opportunity for Atty. Bondoc to cooperate with legal processes and assist law enforcement authorities in the proper service of the ICC warrant,” Vida said during a press briefing.

Vida stressed that being a lawyer “does not excuse him from cooperating” if authorities are investigating possible acts that could amount to obstruction of justice, including concealing offenders, misleading authorities, or delaying legal processes.

“My position is [that], the client-attorney privilege does not excuse him,” Vida said during a press briefing.

“Being an officer of the court, being a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines covered by the law, does not excuse him from preventing crimes like concealing offenders, misleading authorities or delaying legal processes,” he went on.

The DOJ chief also reminded government officials that violations under Presidential Decree 1829, or the obstruction of justice law, carry penalties including perpetual disqualification from public office.

The DOJ widened its fact-finding investigation surrounding the possible concealment of Dela Rosa, a co-perpetrator of former President Rodrigo Duterte, in his administration’s controversial war on drugs, now under ICC scrutiny.

Vida disclosed that prosecutors have subpoenaed the Office of the Senate Secretary for documents tied to Senate security operations, including the oath of office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Ret. Gen. Mao Aplasca, firearms inventories, issuance records, and Senate security logs documenting entries and exits from the Senate complex.

“We requested for those documents,” Vida said, noting that entry and exit logs could help establish movements inside the Senate premises.

The DOJ panel also issued subpoenas to the Commission on Audit and the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office for records on firearms registered under the Senate, including a weapon seen in a circulating video that Vida identified as a “Scorpion” firearm.

Bondoc earlier said in a television interview that authorities could simply serve the ICC warrant through dela Rosa’s lawyers, including himself, who would then relay it to the senator.