A YouTube video claims that an arrest warrant has been issued against senators Robinhood Padilla and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Not true. There is no such order, nor legal basis to apprehend the two lawmakers.
Uploaded on Aug. 21, the video’s clickbait headline read:
“WARRANT OF ARREST! WALA NA! FINISH NA SI ROBIN AT BATO! BINASAHAN NA NG KORTE! KULONG NA HATUL (Done! Robin and Bato are finished! Court issued a decision! Imprisonment is the verdict)!”
There are currently no standing arrest warrants issued by any court against Padilla and dela Rosa.
The video merely played clips from an Aug. 20 Senate committee hearing led by Padilla and dela Rosa over the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) alleged excessive use of force in its attempt to arrest fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy last June.
The two senators, who are allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, previously expressed their support for Quiboloy who is also Duterte’s long-time friend and spiritual adviser.
In May, Padilla attempted to overturn the Senate’s contempt order against the self-styled “appointed son of god.”
For his part, dela Rosa earlier offered to serve as Quiboloy’s security should he decide to attend the Senate investigation on the alleged “large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence” committed by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ sect leader.
Padilla and dela Rosa have since urged Quiboloy to surrender to authorities.
In the same Senate probe last week, dela Rosa drew comparisons with his and Quiboloy’s situation, saying that he would not face any case that may be filed against him in the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The former PNP chief is among the individuals named in documents related to the ICC’s investigation into the purported human rights abuses committed under Duterte’s bloody drug war.
Uploaded by YouTube channels Boss Balita TV and BALITA NI JUAN, the erroneous videos received over 166,761 interactions.
