Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa did not attend the opening of the historic bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed ₱6.793-trillion national budget on Saturday, December 13, extending his monthlong absence from Senate proceedings.
Dela Rosa was among four senators missing from the 12-member Senate panel tasked to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill.
Also absent were Senators Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, who was recently hospitalized due to a health condition. Villar remains on maternity leave.
A vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Dela Rosa has not reported to work since Congress resumed sessions on November 14.
His absence followed claims by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued a warrant for his arrest over his role in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Senate Committee on Finance Chair Sherwin Gatchalian earlier expressed hope that Dela Rosa would participate in the bicam, noting that the senator had not formally declined the role.
“By tradition since 2018, yung mga vice chairman automatic nagiging conferee. Ang dahilan doon, mas kabisado nila yung kanilang ahensya. So ako, I will rely on the vice chair para tulungan akong depensahan yung Senate version or yung mga Senate proposal kasi mas kabisado nila,” Gatchalian said.
“Automatic na si (Dela Rosa) magiging conferee dahil vice chair pa siya. Hindi naman siya nag-resign bilang vice chair. To be honest, hindi kami nag-uusap so wala naman siya rin any feedback kung ayaw niya maging conferee,” he added.
Saturday’s session marked the first time Senate–House budget bicameral deliberations were livestreamed, a transparency measure adopted amid persistent allegations of last-minute insertions in previous budgets.