Majority Senator Robin Padilla on Friday vehemently denied that he helped Senator Ronald Bato Dela Rosa to escape from Senate premises on 14 May, noting that they freely exited with the presence of police and security personnel inside and outside the Senate building.
“Paano kami tatakas? Ang daming pulis sa loob at labas ng Senado, may CCTV pa. Wala namang humarang sa amin,” Padilla said in a television interview on Friday.
The lawmaker said he spent three days at the Senate to accompany Sen. Bato after his surprise appearance following months of hiatus.
“Ramdam mo na iba na ang ambience. May mga armadong kalalakihan na sa labas. May mga rally, may mga usapang lalala ang sitwasyon,” he stressed.
He said tensions even ensued when they were informed that there was a gun-shooting incident at the 2nd floor of the Senate Building while he and Sen. Bato were both in their offices at the 5th floor.
“May mga senador na natakot talaga. Madilim, walang ilaw, tense ang sitwasyon. May mga umiiyak na. Kaya bumaba ako para tingnan kung ayos lang ang lahat,” he added.
He said he personally saw that Sen. Bato was worried about the safety of his colleagues, members of the media and other people in the area.
“Nakita ko kay Sen. Bato na iniisip niya kung paano madi-diffuse ang sitwasyon. Pulis kasi ang puso niyan,” he said.
He also confirmed that Sen. Bato talked to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police Chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. when they arrived at the Senate after the ruckus.
“Sabi ni Secretary Jonvic, ‘Hindi ako nandito para arestuhin ka pare, nandito ako para i-secure ang lugar.’ Magaan ang usapan, walang tensiyon,” Padilla said.
He maintained that no physical warrant was presented by the PNP and NBI, so there was no reason for them to escape.
“Wala namang warrant. Ayon mismo sa Senate President, wala ring local warrant. Kaya very relaxed kami,” he said.
Padilla said Sen. Bato told him that it was time for him to go home because his wife was already looking for him.
“Ang sabi ni Sen. Bato, sasabay na ko. Alangan naming tanggihan ko yun? Walang sasakyan si Sen. Bato dahil inihatid lang siya sa Senado ng sasakyan ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano,” Padilla narrated.
He said the now fugitive senator alighted in Makati, where he was fetched by his own car. Padilla added that he did not ask the senator where to go.
Padilla said he also cannot accept that the government is tagging Senator Bato as fugitive, especially if it is anchored on the influence of a foreign tribunal.
“Para sa akin, hindi siya fugitive. Hindi ko matanggap na basta na lang natin tatawaging ganoon dahil sinabi ng dayuhan. Kailangan din nating igalang ang sarili nating proseso bilang bansa,” he said.
“Ang dami pa nating dapat pag-usapan — trabaho, tamang sweldo, aksyon laban sa korapsyon.
Kung gusto nating linisin ang gobyerno, dapat lahat. Huwag tayong mamili,” according to Padilla.
Senator Bato is now a subject of a manhunt operation due to the order of Department of Justice Secretary Frederick Vida, as the senator failed to secure a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court against his arrest warrant at the International Criminal Court.