Sen. Robin Padilla’s chief of staff, Atty. Rudolf Philip Jurado, rejected Friday allegations of a violation of the anti-wiretapping law against the senator, dismissing the charge as speculative and lacking basis.
Jurado was reacting to a remark made by Atty. Barry Gutierrez, who earlier said that Padilla could be charged for violating the Anti-Wiretapping Law if proven that the audio recording he presented at the Senate’s marathon plenary debates was made without consent.
The audio recording in question was presented by Padilla during the chamber’s deliberation on the 2026 budget of the Presidential Communications Office.
It allegedly involved Palace Press Officer Claire Castro talking to a paid troll.
‘At this point, the authenticity of the recording, the identities of the persons allegedly involved, and the manner by which the audio was obtained have not been established through any formal investigation. In the absence of verified facts, there is no reasonable basis to conclude that the audio constitutes an intercepted communication within the meaning of the Anti-Wiretapping Law,’ said Jurado.
‘Without proof that an actual private conversation was unlawfully intercepted by any person, any allegation of a wiretapping offense remains speculative,’ he added.
Jurado likewise emphasized that senators and congressmen are afforded parliamentary immunity, enabling them to debate, deliberate, and legislate ‘without fear of retaliation or legal consequences for statements made or actions taken in the course of their official duties.’
Gutierrez, in an interview DZMM Thursday, said an ethics complaint could also be filed against Padilla in addition to a criminal complaint.
‘Wala namang total immunity sa persecution ng mga senador at mga kongresista. Ang mayroon lang sila ay limited parliamentary immunity,’ he said.
(There is no total immunity from prosecution for senators and congressmen. What they have is only limited parliamentary immunity.)