The Senate on Monday finalized the membership of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges after electing additional members to the panel.
Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri moved to include Senators Joel Villanueva, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Bong Go from the minority bloc, a motion approved without objection by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
The committee, chaired by Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, is tasked with matters concerning the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity, and reputation of the Senate and its members.
Senator Kiko Pangilinan serves as vice chairperson, while Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros and Senator Erwin Tulfo are also members.
Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano will serve as ex officio members.
The panel’s completion comes after a lawyer filed an ethics complaint against Ejercito last week, accusing him of gross neglect of constitutional duty for failing to act on a separate complaint against Senator Chiz Escudero. Ejercito explained that hearings could not be held because the committee had not yet been formally constituted.
The complaint against Escudero, filed in October 2025, stemmed from a ₱30 million campaign donation he received in 2022 from contractor Lawrence Lubiano.
Escudero has maintained the contribution was “legal, fully declared, and follows long-standing practice.”