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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider De Lima rejects comparison to 'delinquent' Dela Rosa

De Lima rejects comparison to 'delinquent' Dela Rosa

Published Jan 12, 2026 08:50 pm

At A Glance

  • Mamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has taken exception to being compared to the "delinquent" Senator Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa, who has allegedly gone into hiding.
Mamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (left), Senator Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa (Facebook)
Mamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (left), Senator Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa (Facebook)


Mamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has taken exception to being compared to the "delinquent" Senator Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa, who has allegedly gone into hiding.
"Wag niyo naman po kaming gamiting excuse sa hindi pagdisiplina sa isang delinkwenteng senador (Please do not use us as an excuse for failing to discipline a delinquent senator)," De Lima said.
The House deputy minority leader directed her message to Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, who recently addressed De la Rosa's absences in plenary session.
"With due respect, SP Sotto should not compare me or [former] Sen. [Antonio] Trillanes [IV] with Sen. Bato’s situation. Our non-attendance in Senate sessions during our incumbency was involuntary," she noted.
"I could not be physically present in the Senate because I was in detention to face the fabricated charges filed against me then by the Duterte administration," said De Lima, who served as senator from 2016 to 2022.
"On the other hand, Sen. Bato is running away from possible arrest by the ICC (International Criminal Court)," she pointed out.
Dela Rosa has rarely been seen since November 2025, or after news broke out that The Hague-based ICC finally released a warrant of arrest against him. The former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief-turned-senator is facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection to the previous Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
No warrant of arrest against Dela Rosa has surfaced so far.
De Lima said that the key difference between her and Dela Rosa was that she remained productive as a senator during her inability to attend sessions due to her incarceration on drug charges.
"Kahit nakakulong ako noon at kahit mahirap dahil wala akong kahit anumang gadget, nagtatrabaho po ako bilang senador sa pagpa-file ko ng maraming bills na ilan sa kanila ay naging batas.
(Even though I was imprisoned then, and even though it was difficult because I did not have any gadget, I still worked as a senator by filing many bills, some of which became laws.)
"Nakiusap pa nga ako na mag-participate sa online sessions and hearings ng Senate during pandemic dahil ginagawa naman na yun, pero hindi napagbigyan ng mayorya ng Senado," De Lima recalled.
(I even requested to participate in the Senate’s online sessions and hearings during the pandemic since that was already being done, but the majority of the Senate did not allow it.)
"These matters of productivity in legislative output and the constant eagerness to join plenary sessions and committee hearings despite my unjust detention are clear evidence of work and intent to work," she further said.
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