THE camp of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who has been absent from the Senate since November 2025, is reviewing a suggestion from the Senate ethics panel advising him to temporarily suspend his salary and allowances until he can physically attend sessions.
The suggestion was raised during a recent meeting of the Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by JV Ejercito. Ejercito said representatives of dela Rosa informed the panel that the senator is considering the proposal.
Dela Rosa has been absent from the Senate for more than five months, after unconfirmed reports said the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest for his role in the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, when he was still chief of the Philippine National Police.
The Ethics Committee earlier proposed that dela Rosa refrain from receiving compensation while he is unable to report in person to the Senate. The move is seen as a possible interim measure while ethical concerns raised against him are being reviewed.
Ejercito said the senator’s camp has acknowledged the recommendation and is currently deliberating on the matter. A separate meeting is also being held within dela Rosa’s camp to discuss the implications.
Sources said if dela Rosa agrees to suspend his salary and allowances, it could influence the outcome of the ethics complaints filed against him, potentially leading to their dismissal.
The complaints are currently under preliminary evaluation by the committee.
During Tuesday’s session, the Senate Ethics Committee examined multiple complaints to determine whether they met the required form and substance. Ejercito said more than half of the complainants failed to respond to initial communications from the panel.
As a result, those complaints will be returned to the complainants, effectively halting their progress unless refiled or completed.
The committee is expected to proceed based on dela Rosa’s final stance regarding the recommendation. His decision could shape both the direction of the ethics proceedings and the broader handling of similar cases in the future.
No timeline has been given for when dela Rosa will announce his decision.
