The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges will meet in executive session on March 4 to adopt its rules and conduct an initial review of pending complaints, including a case filed against Senator Ronald dela Rosa over his prolonged absence from sessions.
Committee chair Senator JV Ejercito said the gathering was moved up from its original March 10 schedule after Senate President Vicente Sotto III approved the use of the Senate President’s Conference Room for the meeting.
“Executive session among members; the agenda is the adoption of rules, and we will proceed to the initial vetting of cases,” he said, adding that the session will be closed to the public.
An anti-corruption group led by former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno filed the ethics complaint against dela Rosa, citing his absence from Senate sessions since November 2025 and alleging that it constitutes neglect of duty.
The group, called Wag Kang KuCorrupt, asked the committee to determine whether Senate rules and ethical standards were violated by the continued absence.
Dela Rosa has not attended plenary sessions since Nov. 10 after reports surfaced of an alleged International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
He is the sixth senator to face an ethics complaint before the chamber’s Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
Sotto, meanwhile, vowed that the Senate leadership will review the ethics complaints filed against dela Rosa in light of his nearly four months of absence from duty.
He said discussions are needed to clarify and possibly strengthen the chamber’s rules on sanctions for members who fail to attend sessions for an extended period.
Currently, Sotto admitted that the Senate lacks clear provisions outlining penalties for prolonged absences, limiting the body’s ability to impose discipline.
The only clear authority at present is the power to remove a senator from committee assignments for repeated nonattendance.
Dela Rosa has been removed from several committee memberships due to his continued absence.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri recently moved to replace dela Rosa with Senator Joel Villanueva in the Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Last week, Senator Robin Padilla took over dela Rosa’s seat in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Dela Rosa was also replaced in the Committee on Ethics and Privileges by Senators Imee Marcos and Rodante Marcoleta.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Senate to review ethics case vs. Bato on March 4”
