By Tracy Cabrera
Despite Senator Robin ‘Robinhood’ Padilla’s non-appearance, the Department of Justice (DoJ) confirmed that the preliminary investigation into the obstruction of justice complaint filed against the former actor pushed through only Friday, October 9.
With the third hearing set for November 6, DoJ prosecution attorney and spokesperson Polo Martinez disclosed that only Padilla’s legal counsel was present during the initial investigation on the complaint.
The investigation against the neophyte senator and several others stems from the obstruction of justice complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) last May 28 before the justice department in connection with the ‘escape’ of Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa from the Senate premises.
On May 11, 2026, Dela Rosa was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for “alleged criminal responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator” in the crimes against humanity case against former president Rodrigo ‘Rody’ Duterte.
The former PNP chief had sought refuge at the Senate after their house authorities attempted to serve the warrant. He allegedly slipped out of the Senate building in the early hours of May 14 with the help of Padilla, a known Duterte supporter.
The senator has denied intentionally helping Dela Rosa evade arrest, although he previously acknowledged giving him a ride from the Senate to Makati.
The local filmdom’s erstwhile action star insisted that the matter should have been handled by the ICC and this he maintains that he did not help dela Rosa “escape” and instead argued that the country’s former ‘Top Cop’ had merely asked to hitch a ride with him out of the Senate.
