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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider JV Ejercito: Bato's ethics case a matter of procedure

JV Ejercito: Bato's ethics case a matter of procedure

Published Mar 20, 2026 03:26 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito maintained that any outcome of the ethics complaint filed against Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa would all be just procedural.

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Friday, March 20 maintained that any outcome of the ethics complaint filed against Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa would all be just procedural.

Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, pointed this out saying the issue regarding the complaint against Dela Rosa stems from a gap in the current rules of the Senate, not bias or any attempt to shield a fellow senator.

“I’m not saying that I want the case against Sen. Dela Rosa dismissed outright. On my part, we might set aside that if we will hear his case right now because that is not in the Senate rules,” Ejercito said in a statement.

He pointed out that currently, there is no provision on absenteeism or “no work, no pay” in the existing rules and laws of the Senate.

But moving forward, the senator said the Senate Committee on Rules can amend the existing rules to cover senators’ attendance and set corresponding sanctions.

Such an amendment, however, would require the approval of all the members of the Senate, not just the ethics panel.

“Maybe it wasn't anticipated at the time that there was a legislator who wouldn't be in, so we need to amend it as a whole body to get it in,” he said.

Despite this limitation, the lawmaker said complainants can still seek redress and may refile their complaints should they determine that the acts complained of constitute violations under the updated Senate rules once these take effect.

Ejercito said due process must prevail as all complaints will be handled in accordance with established rules and any necessary amendments moving forward.

Earlier, the senator said the ethics complaint against Dela Rosa may be junked due to technicality due to the fact there is no “no work, no pay” provision under the current Senate rules.

It can be recalled that Dela Rosa last attended Senate plenary sessions on November 10 last year and has since been absent from plenary and committee hearings. This was after rumors of his possible arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) came out.

Dela Rosa has been named as one of the co-perpetrators in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case at the ICC where he is being tried for the brutal crackdown against drug suspects in the Philippines.

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JV Ejercito ethics complaint Bato Dela Rosa
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