By Itchie G. Cabayan
AN immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) has been issued against Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, with orders for him to be arrested should he attempt to leave the country has been issued due to the shooting incident in the Senate building, Secretary Fredderick Vida of the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
He also ordered the creation of a special panel of probers that would investigate the said incident and also tasked the police and the NBI to submit all evidence within two days, hoping that they would share information or something verifiable or verified, so that people can be put to account if evidence warrant while those who are clean may be exonerated.
Vida said that the probe will not be limited to the shooting incident, even as he expressed wonder as to why firearm was discharged that night, putting lives and even the media in danger. He was quick to add that he does not want to put blame prematurely.
He also said that they have information as to Dela Rosa’s current whereabouts or how to trace him, adding that the DOJ will treat any attempt of Dela Rosa to leave the country as ‘a mockery of justice’, adding that he has given specific orders to law enforcement authorites and those in charge of border control, that arrest should be made if the Senator will try to leave the country.
Dela Rosa’s lawyer claimed that the Senator had opted to just leave the Senate to avoid creating inconvenience to anyone.
Remulla assailed Dela Rosa,saying, “anong klaseng tao ‘yan, tumatakbo sa batas? Flight is an indication of guilt.”
Meanwhile, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, retired Gen.Ma O Aplasca who admitted having fired a ‘warning’ shot that triggered the shooting and Senator Robin Padilla, who was reportedly with Dela Rosa when the latter left the Senate building, are now being considered as ‘persons of interest’ in the ongoing probe.
This, according to Matibag, means that they should be the first ones to answer queries regarding Dela Rosa’s whereabouts, citing that the arrest was not made when Dela Rosa first appeared because the NBI respects the Senate resolution and decision to put Dela Rosa under Senate’s protective custody.
