Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. The hearing was also attended by officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways led by Sec. Vince Dizon, along with representatives of contractors implicated in alleged ghost and substandard projects nationwide.
Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

RG Cruz

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Senate Ethics Committee Chairman JV Ejercito on Tuesday said Sen.  Ronald dela Rosa was considering forgoing his salary and allowances as he continued to be absent from Senate duties.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/21/ejercito-urges-dela-rosa-voluntarily-stop-getting-salary-allowances-1634">Ejercito urges Dela Rosa: Voluntarily stop getting salary, allowances</a></div><p>Dela Rosa has been absent from the Senate and the public eye following the circulation of unconfirmed reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had ordered his arrest as a co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.</p><p>The case is linked to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, which dela Rosa implemented as chief of the Philippine National Police.</p><p>Ejercito said dela Rosa’s camp relayed that they were considering the proposal, which he earlier raised.</p><p>&quot;Ano lang naman ‘yun kasi nga sabi ko, kung susundin talaga natin yung rules, sa korte nga inaabot tayo ng taon eh &#x27;di ba minsan? Kasi kung susundin mo talaga ‘yung rules, medyo matagal talaga, tedious ‘yung process. So para mawala ‘yung pressure sa Senate, mawala din ‘yung pressure kay Senator Dela Rosa,&quot; he said.</p><p>Ejercito added they have only been in contact with Dela Rosa’s office.</p><p>“Hopefully magkaroon na ng positive development by next week,” he said. </p><p>Dela Rosa’s absence since the fourth quarter of 2025 has made him the top absentee senator in the first regular session of the 20th Congress.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/8/dela-rosa-is-top-absentee-according-to-senate-records-1804">Dela Rosa is top Senate absentee; 4 senators log perfect attendance: Senate records</a></div><p>His continued absence is also the subject of an ethics complaint, which Ejercito said could be dropped if Dela Rosa decided to forgo his salaries and allowances.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DELA ROSA OFFICE ‘FULLY FUNCTIONAL’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said Dela Rosa’s staff remained “fully functional” despite his continued absence from the Senate.</p><p>Speaking to reporters in Taguig City, Cayetano dismissed calls to dismantle Dela Rosa’s office and withhold his salary.</p><p>“Fully functional ‘yong staff niya — ‘yong mga memo sa kanya, ‘yong pagmo-monitor, tuloy-tuloy,” Cayetano said.</p><p>(His staff is fully functional — the memos for him, the monitoring — everything continues.)</p><p>Cayetano said there was a “live threat” against Dela Rosa and that it was only “human nature” for him to protect himself.</p><p>“Kasi ang lumalabas na sitwasyon, siya ang ayaw pumasok at gusto siyang disiplinahin. Gusto niyang pumasok pero live ‘yong threat sa kanya,” Cayetano said.</p><p>(Because the situation being presented is that he is the one refusing to report for work and should be disciplined. But he wants to report for work but the threat against him is real.)</p><p>Cayetano said there was no assurance from the government that Dela Rosa&#x27;s rights would be protected by Philippine courts from the supposed threat of an ICC warrant and the possibility of being detained in The Hague.</p><p>“Sa ating konstitusyon, huwes lang, judge lang ang puwedeng mag-isyu ng warrant of arrest. Kaya kung may warrant of arrest galing sa abroad, dadaan pa dapat sa ating judge iyon. ‘Yon ang stand namin. Walang makapag-assure eh,” Cayetano said.</p><p>(Under our Constitution, only a judge can issue a warrant of arrest. So if there is a warrant of arrest coming from abroad, it should still pass through our judge. That is our stand. No one can give assurance.)</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5QBfw9i85o?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MVZ_HPIQuC8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Senate Ethics Committee Chairman JV Ejercito on Tuesday said Senator Ronald dela Rosa is considering forgoing his salary and allowances as he continues to be absent from Senate duties.</p>

Senate Ethics Committee Chairman JV Ejercito on Tuesday said Senator Ronald dela Rosa is considering forgoing his salary and allowances as he continues to be absent from Senate duties.

Dela Rosa considering forgoing salaries, allowances — Ejercito

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Dela Rosa considering forgoing salaries, allowances — Ejercito

RG Cruz,

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 28, 2026 01:45 PM PHT

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Updated April 28, 2026 09:16 PM PHT

Read More:

Bato Dela Rosa

JV Ejercito

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