MANILA — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday urged his colleague Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to attend Senate sessions and carry out his functions as a lawmaker amid his continued absence from the chamber.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, stressed that Dela Rosa serves as the panel’s vice chair and is also part of the bicameral conference committee that recently reconciled the final version of the 2026 national budget. Dela Rosa, however, missed the bicameral deliberations due to his prolonged absence.
The senator has not appeared on the Senate floor since November 11, shortly after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed on his radio program that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued an arrest warrant for the former Philippine National Police chief over alleged crimes committed during the Duterte administration’s drug war. There has been no independent confirmation of such a warrant.
Gatchalian said attempts to contact Dela Rosa have been unsuccessful. “I tried to call him many, many times. His phone cannot be reached,” he told one media source. He added that even the lawmaker’s chief of staff would merely smile when asked about the matter.
“His opinion matters to me. Hopefully, he’ll come to the Senate,” Gatchalian said.
Dela Rosa has been implicated as a co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case filed against former president Rodrigo Duterte, who has been detained in The Hague since March last year.
Legal experts have warned that Dela Rosa may eventually face an ICC arrest warrant related to his role in the anti-drug campaign, although his counsel previously insisted he can still perform his duties remotely.