PNP: Obstruction raps vs Padilla unaffected by returned complaint

MANILA, Philippines — The obstruction of justice case lodged by the Philippine National Police against Sen. Robin Padilla will not be affected even after the Department of Justice (DOJ) sent back the complaint due to technicalities, the PNP said on Monday.

“As I understand, this is within the working mechanism of DC (Department Circular) 20, the close coordination and cooperation between the DOJ and law enforcement agencies,” PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

“So, there is something lacking. It does not mean anything about the case. It doesn’t affect the case at all,” he added in Filipino.

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READ: DOJ weighs CIDG complaint against Robin Padilla

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“Upon compliance with whatever is lacking, we will return the complaint to the DOJ,” said Co.

The DOJ announced that it had returned the complaint against Padilla last Wednesday, citing DC 20 and a supposed lack of documents.

DC 20 was issued by the DOJ in 2023, setting a “reasonable certainty of conviction” requirement in case build-up.

The PNP – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) lodged the obstruction of justice complaint against Padilla after Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa slipped out of the Senate premises last May.

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The DOJ previously ordered the National Bureau of Investigation and the PNP to implement an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant to arrest dela Rosa, who is wanted by the global tribunal over his alleged participation in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

Dela Rosa was last seen leaving the Senate with Padilla in the early hours of May 14.

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Padilla maintained that dela Rosa merely hitched a ride, alighted in Makati City and did not say where he was headed next.

The PNP – CIDG, however, claimed Padilla had “indispensable cooperation” in dela Rosa’s escape. /gsg

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