Presidential Decree 1829, issued on Jan. 16, 1981 by Ferdinand Marcos Sr., prohibits the “obstruction of (the) apprehension and prosecution of criminal offenders.”
PD 1829 carries penalties of imprisonment ranging from six months to six years and/or fines of P1,000 to P6,000. While such penalties may seem relatively light, if the offender is a public official or employee, there is the additional penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Authorities must apply this law in the manhunt for several high-value suspects, amid reports that the wanted persons are enjoying protection from certain public officials and employees including members of the Philippine National Police.
Yesterday, combined teams from the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Bureau of Investigation failed to find Sen. Ronald dela Rosa in several sites including a house reportedly owned by an uncle of Sen. Robinhood Padilla in Balibago, Angeles City in Pampanga.
Dela Rosa had left the Senate premises on May 14 after evading arrest by the NBI. Padilla said he gave Dela Rosa a lift in his SUV because the latter was brought to the Senate on May 13 in a vehicle of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who wrested the Senate presidency from Tito Sotto with the help of Dela Rosa’s in-person vote.
The Cayetano-led majority is currently trying to railroad an amendment of Senate rules that will allow Dela Rosa to cast votes remotely, sparing him from the risk of arrest. It gives new dimension to the majority’s resolution giving him “protective custody.”
Also among the potential beneficiaries of such an amendment will be several senators belonging to the majority, including the principal proponent of the rule change, who may soon be arrested and held without bail for plunder and malversation.
Authorities said Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, is reportedly enjoying police protection as he evades arrest. He was even granted licenses for several guns by the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office in March while he was in hiding.
Fugitive gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang is also believed to have cops in his payroll. Several PNP members are among his co-accused in the cases he is facing for the kidnapping and suspected murder of cockfighting aficionados.
Rafael Dumlao is also believed to be enjoying the protection of some of his former colleagues in the PNP and possibly in the NBI where his wife works. Dumlao is the convicted mastermind in the kidnapping for ransom and grisly execution of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo inside Camp Crame.
The government must show anyone protecting wanted persons that laws against obstruction of justice will be applied to the fullest extent.