The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges will convene in an executive session on March 4 to formalize its internal procedures and begin reviewing pending complaints, including one concerning the prolonged absence of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from plenary sessions.
Committee chair and Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito said the meeting was originally scheduled for March 10 due to limited room availability but was moved earlier after Senate President Vicente Sotto III approved the use of the Senate President’s Conference Room.
“For those asking, the earliest we can schedule the Ethics Committee meeting is on March 10 due to room unavailability. But asking permission from SP (Senate President) if we can use the Senators Lounge so we can hold the meeting earlier. Punuan ang committee rooms,” Ejercito explained in a Viber message to reporters.
He later confirmed the updated schedule:
“SP Sotto has authorized the Ethics Committee to use Senate President’s Conference Room on March 4 at 10 a.m. to expedite the meeting as soon as possible.”
Ejercito clarified that the session will be held behind closed doors, beginning with the adoption of committee rules before tackling the complaints lined up for preliminary review.
Among the cases is a complaint filed by the group Wag Kang KuCorrupt against Senator Ronald dela Rosa, citing his absence from plenary proceedings since November 2025. The group argues that his continued non-attendance may constitute dereliction of duty.
Dela Rosa is reportedly the sixth senator facing a complaint before the ethics panel in the 20th Congress.
Meanwhile, the committee itself has drawn scrutiny after lawyer Marvin Aceron filed a separate ethics complaint against Ejercito, accusing him of gross neglect of constitutional duty for allegedly failing to act on a previous complaint against Senator Chiz Escudero filed in October 2025.