Robin Padilla: I was with Bato Dela Rosa during Senate shooting

Almost a week after the shooting incident that jolted the Senate, Senator Robinhood Padilla said he has yet to receive any summons to the probe on Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s departure from the upper chamber in the early hours of May 14.

In Ian Cruz’s report on “Saksi” on Tuesday, Padilla said he is still waiting to be called to give his side on reports that he was with Dela Rosa when the latter left the Senate’s premises.

“Nag-aantay pa ako. Sabi nila dito mag-imbestiga,” the senator said.

(I am still waiting. They said they will investigate here.)

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Padilla should explain his role in Dela Rosa’s leaving the Senate’s protective custody amid the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him.

“If there is somebody, a person that should be asked, ang unang-unang dapat tanungin e si Senator Robin Padilla dahil siya ‘yung huling kasama (the first one who should be asked is Senator Robin Padilla because he was the last person with Dela Rosa),” Matibag said.

In a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed that based on evidence and CCTV footage, there was no attack at the Senate on May 13.

Asked to comment, Padilla said he was not in the vicinity of the Senate’s second floor when it happened.

“Wala kasi ako dun eh. Di ko masasabi sa inyo kung ano nangyari nung gabing yon dahil nasa 5th floor ako. Andun kami sa 5th floor ni Sen. Bato,” he said.

(I was not there. I cannot tell you what happened that night because I was on the 5th floor. Sen. Bato and I were together on the 5th floor.)

“Nung may nagputukan, bumaba ako, kinumusta ko ung mga senador, tapos umakyat uli ako kay Bato.”

(When shots were fired, I went down to check on the other senators, then I went back to Bato.)

Based on information gathered by GMA News, Padilla was allegedly with Dela Rosa when the latter departed the Senate at 2:30 a.m. of May 14.

Padilla previously told “24 Oras” that it was indeed his vehicle that was captured on video leaving the Senate at that time, but did not say if Dela Rosa was onboard.

Meanwhile, Matibag said they have a lead on Dela Rosa’s whereabouts but declined to say anything more.

“There’s a valid warrant of arrest, he is now considered fugitive from justice so trabaho namin just like any other personalities na may mga mandato de arresto (so it’s our job, just like any other personalities with arrest warrants) we have to monitor… Call it whatever you want but the question is nasaan si Bato (where is Bato)? Di ba? Huli na naging Bato pa!” he said.

Meanwhile, the NBI driver and volunteer who was arrested on May 13 denied the charges of illegal possession of ammunition and direct assault filed against him. He also denied firing any kind of firearm amid tests which showed that he tested positive for gunpowder.

Matibag had theories on how the NBI volunteer got gunpowder on his hands.

“When he was arrested sa GSIS, dinala siya sa Senate grounds sa 2nd floor, idinapa siya kung saan mismo nagpaputok ng nagpaputok ng baril yung mga OSAA… Maraming gunpowder doon, sigurado so that is a possibility dahil wala siyang hawak na baril nung nagpuputukan,” the NBI chief said.

(When he was arrested at the GSIS, he was brought to the Senate grounds at the second floor, he was made to lie on the floor where the OSAA fired their guns. There was a lot of gunpowder there, maybe so that is a possibility because he did not have a gun with him at the time shots were fired.)

Matibag said if he will be suspended as the NBI chief, then Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano should be also suspended for command responsibility over suspended Acting Senate Sergeant at Arms Mao Aplasca.

GMA News is reaching out to Cayetano for comment on the NBI director’s remarks. — JMA, GMA News