Bato pushed to forgo pay amid prolonged absence

Senate Deputy Majority Leader and Ethics Committee Chair Sen. JV Ejercito has urged Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to voluntarily decline his salary and allowances amid his continued absence from Senate sessions.

“Umaapela tayo kay Sen. Bato dela Rosa na kusang-loob na hindi muna tumanggap ng sweldo at allowances niya sa Senado,” Ejercito said in a statement.

He stressed that accountability in public service should mirror the standards applied to ordinary Filipinos.

“Gaya ng mga ordinaryong Pilipinong ‘no work no pay,’ lalo’t higit ganoon din dapat ang mga lingkod-bayan,” Ejercito added.

Dela Rosa has not attended any Senate session since November 2025, following reports regarding the alleged issuance of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest related to his alleged involvement in the drug war killings during the Duterte administration.

Ejercito acknowledged that the Senate does not currently have a “no work, no pay” policy, noting that amendments to Senate rules are required before attendance can be formally compelled.

“The Senate has yet to establish rules that can compel attendance. Any formal action will take time, as it must go through amendments and proper deliberation,” he explained.

Despite this, an ethics complaint has already been filed against dela Rosa over his absenteeism.

Ejercito confirmed that the Senate ethics committee has secured enough signatures to proceed with its work, with pending complaints scheduled for review on April 28.