Human rights advocates and various cause-oriented groups filed on Wednesday, June 3, a case of obstruction of justice against Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Robin Padilla in connection with the May 14 escape of fellow senator Ronald ‘Bato” Dela Rosa before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Aside from the two senators, also included in the charge sheet was retired police general and Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Mao Aplasca whom the groups accused of having a hand in the escape plan.

Tindig Pilipinas convenor Francis Joseph Aquino Dee said they filed the complaint to emphasize that no one is above the law when it comes to accountability for violating the law and betraying public trust.

"The rule of law requires accountability. Public office must never be used as a shield against justice,” said Dee before the filing of the case.

“When officials use their positions to frustrate lawful processes and protect their allies from accountability, they betray the public trust and undermine our democratic institutions," he added.

He said the complaint is part of a broader effort to challenge impunity and stand with the victims of the drug war and their families.

Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP), through the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), recommended to the Department of Justice against Padilla, her female deputy chief of staff who is a retired military personnel, and four others, including two relatives of Padilla.

The recommendation of the case stemmed from what it described as sufficient proof that Dela Rosa’s escape was highly-coordinated and well-planned, with Padilla being tagged as the person who made it happen.

In a press briefing, CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said the Senate gunfire on May 13 and the escape of Dela Rosa are related. But he emphasized that it is up to the DOJ to file the case.

The DOJ earlier tapped the CIDG to assist it in the investigation and case build-up of both Dela Rosa escape and the Senate gunfire which President Marcos described as fake.

For its part, Tindig Pilipinas said the case it filed will not affect the investigation and case build-up currently being done by the DOJ, adding that the filing was to emphasize the right of every citizen to file a case against any government official committing abuses.

“This case is not simply about one individual but about defending the integrity of public institutions and ensuring that accountability mechanisms function without political interference,” the groups said in a statement.

“We call on the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct an impartial investigation and ensure that public officials who obstruct justice are held accountable under the law,” they added.

ICC informed

Dee said they furnished a copy of the complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying the tribunal is a party to the incident that involved the escape of Dela Rosa.

“We’re doing it for their information… it’s a courtesy because they are a party to this case,” said Dee.

Dela Rosa is a subject of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC as he was named as a co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case in relation to the bloody drug war that left thousands of people, including children and innocent civilians, dead.

The ICC warrant was unsealed after Dela Rosa suddenly appeared in the Senate on May 11 to participate in the ouster of then Senate president Tito Sotto.