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Bato loses 'almost all' Senate panel posts due to continued absence

Philippines | National

Bato loses 'almost all' Senate panel posts due to continued absence

By Dhel Nazario

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has lost “almost all” of his committee memberships in the Senate due to his continued absence.

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa (Senate PRIB photo)

“Yes, almost all,” Senate President Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III told reporters on Wednesday, Feb. 25, when asked if dela Rosa still holds any committee posts.

Asked if the move was due to dela Rosa’s prolonged absence, Sotto replied: “Senate rules on number of non-attendance of a member in a committee.”

Most recently, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri moved on Wednesday that dela Rosa be replaced by fellow minority Senator Joel Villanueva as a member of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

It was only last week when Senator Robinhood Padilla took over dela Rosa’s seat in the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, or the Blue Ribbon Committee.

Along with Villanueva, dela Rosa was replaced as a member of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, with Senators Imee Marcos and Rodante Marcoleta taking their seats.

Sotto said replacements for dela Rosa’s remaining committee posts would be elected, noting that only committees that have not met recently would temporarily retain his membership.

Based on the Senate rules, "unexplained absences in five (5) successive committee meetings may operate to relinquish regular membership therein."

Since Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced in November that the International Criminal Court (ICC) already has a warrant of arrest for dela Rosa, he has not appeared in the Upper Chamber.

Dela Rosa was named by ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Julian Nicholls among former President Rodrigo Duterte's co-perpetrators in the drug war.

Related Tags

Bato Dela Rosa International Criminal Court Senate of the Philippines

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