MANILA — Reactions continue to pour in over the Senate incident on Wednesday, with critics labeling it an “obstruction of justice” while others argue it involved illegal or improper actions.
Akbayan Party, in a statement released Thursday, denounced Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate, accusing him of obstructing justice and raising concerns over the role of Senate leadership under Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
The group alleged that Senate leadership may have facilitated conditions that allowed Dela Rosa to leave the premises, claiming that he entered the Senate using a vehicle owned by Cayetano and that lapses in order and control within the chamber contributed to the incident.
Akbayan President Rafaela David said Cayetano “disgraced the Senate” and accused him of being complicit in allowing a person reportedly wanted under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant to evade arrest.
David also criticized the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), describing their response as a “national embarrassment” due to their failure to detain the senator despite what she described as a clear opportunity.
She said the incident reflects either negligence or incompetence on the part of law enforcement agencies, adding that such failures have allowed Dela Rosa to continue evading accountability and undermining public trust in the justice system.
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