By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa is facing renewed calls to forgo his salary and allowances after logging continuous absences since November, when issues surrounding a warrant of arrest surfaced.
House Ethics Committee chairperson and San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito on Sunday joined watchdog groups in urging De la Rosa to waive compensation while he is not attending Senate sessions.
“While the Senate has its own rules, the principle of delicadeza applies,” Ejercito said in a statement. “If a senator cannot or will not perform his duties in plenary and in committee because of legal issues, he should not accept taxpayer money for those days. Decline the salary. Decline the allowances.”
Ejercito chairs the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges. While he has no jurisdiction over senators, he said the House “must speak when public trust in Congress as a whole is affected.”
De la Rosa has not attended plenary sessions since November 2025, shortly after reports emerged of a possible warrant of arrest linked to the International Criminal Court’s drug war probe.
The senator has not appeared publicly at the Senate and has participated only in occasional online hearings of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which he chairs.
Senate records list him as “on official business” for most session days since November. His office has not confirmed his whereabouts.
A senator’s monthly salary is P273,000, excluding over P1 million in monthly allowances for staff, travel, and office expenses.
De la Rosa’s staff maintained that he “continues to work” by filing bills and conducting consultations related to anti-drug policy. “He has filed 47 bills and 23 resolutions this Congress. The legislative work does not stop,” a staff member said.
They did not address questions about his physical absence or the warrant issue.
Under Senate rules, only a chamber suspension results in the withholding of salary. Absences do not trigger automatic deductions. In 2019, then-Senator Leila de Lima voluntarily declined portions of her salary while detained.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the chamber cannot force De la Rosa to waive pay. “That is his personal decision. But we are keeping attendance transparent so the public knows,” Zubiri said.
Budget watchdog Bantay Senado backed Ejercito’s call. “The senator has been absent for five months. That’s P1.365 million in basic salary alone, plus millions in allowances,” said convenor Zypher Jude Regencia. “If you can’t come to work because of a legal cloud, don’t charge the people.”
ia/xf
