MANILA — Mamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila de Lima pushed back against being likened to Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, whom she called a “delinquent” lawmaker, allegedly avoiding authorities.
“Please do not use us as an excuse for failing to discipline a delinquent senator,” De Lima said, addressing Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s remarks on Dela Rosa’s prolonged absence from plenary sessions.
According to De Lima, Sotto’s comparison was misplaced. “With due respect, SP Sotto should not compare me or former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV with Senator Bato’s situation. Our non-attendance in Senate sessions during our incumbency was involuntary,” she noted.
De Lima, who served as senator from 2016 to 2022, stressed that she could not attend sessions because she was detained on what she described as fabricated charges filed by the Duterte administration. “On the other hand, Sen. Bato is running away from possible arrest by the ICC,” she added.
Dela Rosa has rarely been seen in public since November 2025, following reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him.
The former national police chief-turned-senator is being investigated for alleged crimes against humanity tied to the Duterte administration’s deadly war on drugs. No arrest warrant has been made public so far.
De Lima further argued that, unlike Dela Rosa, she remained productive while unable to attend sessions. She highlighted that she filed several bills, some of which eventually became law, despite having no electronic devices while detained.
She also recalled requesting to join Senate online sessions during the pandemic, a privilege she said the Senate majority denied. “These matters of productivity and eagerness to join plenary and hearings despite my unjust detention are clear evidence of work and intent to work,” she said.