The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a subpoena to Senator Robin Padilla in connection with a complaint accusing him of obstruction of justice over his alleged role in helping his ally, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, evade arrest amid an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.

The DOJ ordered Padilla to appear before its panel of prosecutors at the agency’s office in Ermita, Manila, and submit his counter-affidavit on 25 September and 9 October at 2 p.m.

Padilla confirmed receiving the subpoena in a Facebook post on Tuesday, but his office has yet to further comment on the matter. 

Tindig Pilipinas filed the complaint before the DOJ, accusing Padilla of obstruction of justice for allegedly escorting Dela Rosa to escape the Senate premises in the wee hours of 14 May to evade an ICC warrant stemming from the latter’s role in the deadly drug war waged by the Duterte administration.

The Ombudsman launched a parallel probe into allegations of Padilla’s obstruction of justice.

De la Rosa is wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity over the alleged extrajudicial killings committed between November 2011 and March 2019—spanning former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure as Davao mayor and as the country’s chief executive. 

Padilla initially denied facilitating De la Rosa’s getaway, although CCTV footage from the Senate showed that he and the embattled former PNP chief boarded a white SUV together at the Senate parking around 2:30 a.m. on 14 May, shortly after the chaos from the shooting subsided.

A preliminary investigation by the PNP revealed that the vehicle was registered under Padilla’s name.

Eventually, Padilla admitted that he gave Dela Rosa a ride and dropped him off in Makati, where his driver picked him up. Padilla said he did not bother to ask Dela Rosa where he would be headed afterward. 

Padilla denied there was an attempt to evade authorities, citing a lack of a warrant from a Philippine court. 

He claimed that it was De la Rosa who suggested hitching a ride with him after tensions from the Senate shooting eased. Furthermore, he cited the heavy police presence in the Senate building, insisting that their exit was lawful. 

Dela Rosa sought refuge in the Senate for barely three days, but subsequently “escaped” the compound following the National Bureau of Investigation’s supposed botched attempt to arrest him, which triggered the chaotic gunfire incident on 13 May. 

To date, there is still no lead on De la Rosa’s whereabouts, though authorities’ nationwide manhunt remains ongoing.

DOJ Secretary Frederick Vida earlier warned that Dela Rosa's accomplices could face legal consequences for allowing him to evade the ICC warrant.  Aside from domestic laws, Vida said they could also be held accountable under the ICC.

The ICC warrant stems from Dela Rosa’s role as chief of the Davao police and chief of the PNP, both under Duterte’s watch. ICC records showed that De la Rosa is criminally responsible for the killings of 32 individuals, tagging him as Duterte’s “indirect co-perpetrator” for the crime against humanity of murder, allegedly committed between November 2011 and March 2019.