The Senate is reviewing its internal rules following the ethics complaint filed against Senator Ronald dela Rosa, with lawmakers considering amendments to address gaps exposed by his prolonged absence from plenary sessions.
Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, who chairs the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, said Senate President Vicente Sotto III had directed the rules committee to study possible revisions. These include the absence of a “no work, no pay” provision for lawmakers.
“Kinausap ko na po si Senate President Sotto and I think nagbigay na siya ng instructions sa rules committee headed by our Majority Leader, Senator Migz Zubiri, na pag-aralan na para i-update na rin, amyendahan ang rules ng Senate kasi medyo matagal na rin,” Ejercito said in a radio interview.
The move follows an ethics complaint filed in February by anti-corruption group Wag Kang KuCorrupt against dela Rosa, citing his continued absence from Senate sessions for nearly four months.
Ejercito earlier said the complaint could be dismissed outright under existing rules, which do not impose penalties for absentee senators. He emphasized that proposed amendments aim to address procedural shortcomings.
“Hindi po yan bias. Hindi po sa pinagtatakpan natin si Senator Dela Rosa. It’s a procedural issue,” he stressed.
Dela Rosa has not reported for work since November 2025, after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that the International Criminal Court had ordered his arrest over his role in the Duterte administration’s drug war.