Members of the Senate are considering amending internal rules to institutionalize a strictly enforced “no-work-no-pay” policy for colleagues with unauthorized absences.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson confirmed the potential rule change during a Sunday radio interview, citing the prolonged absence of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa has remained out of the public eye following an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Although dela Rosa voluntarily waived his compensation and allowances starting November 2025—briefly surfacing in May 2026 before fleeing the Senate grounds during a shooting incident—Lacson emphasized that standardizing the procedure is essential rather than relying on individual discretion.
“Kapag unauthorized na ang absence, dapat hindi parang self-imposed lang o unilateral na di kukunin ang sweldo. Dapat official na merong sulat sa Land Bank, sa Treasury, na isu-suspend ang sweldo o ititigil,” Lacson said.
The primary hurdle to formalizing the measure is the Senate’s constrained calendar. Alongside standard legislative duties, the chamber is managing the 2027 national budget deliberations and preparing for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Consequently, Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente “Tito” Sotto III has been unable to calendar an Ethics Committee hearing to address the matter.