Senator Robin Padilla could himself face scrutiny by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly helping Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa evade arrest, according to ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti.
Conti warned that those accused of shielding fugitives may be prosecuted for obstructing the tribunal’s work.
She said that harboring or assisting individuals sought by the court may constitute an offense against the administration of justice under Article 70 of the Rome Statute.
“Here in the Philippines, that would be harboring a fugitive — hiding someone or helping that person escape,” Conti said. “In the ICC, the equivalent is Article 70, or offenses against the administration of justice.”
Article 70 covers acts that obstruct or interfere with court proceedings, including destroying evidence, intimidating witnesses and knowingly assisting individuals sought by the tribunal.
Although the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, Conti argued that the ICC retains authority to investigate acts that allegedly obstruct ongoing proceedings connected to its investigation of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Conti specifically pointed to Padilla’s public admission that he assisted Dela Rosa after tensions erupted in the Senate on 14 May.
Padilla said he personally drove Dela Rosa out of the Senate complex and dropped him off in Makati City, where another vehicle was waiting. He said he did not ask where the senator planned to go afterward.
“When someone is fleeing and another person helps him escape, the court looks into that,” Conti said.