'No work, no pay': JV Ejercito urges Bato to voluntarily forgo Senate salary, allowances
At A Glance
- Even though the Senate has no specific rules about absences, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa should voluntarily decline receiving his salary and allowances as a senator.
Even though the Senate has no specific rules about absences, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa should voluntarily decline receiving his salary and allowances as a senator.
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito made the appeal days ahead of the resumption of the Senate’s regular session on May 4, 2026.
Records show that Dela Rosa has been the top absentee in the Senate for the first regular session of the 20th Congress, having been absent for 31 days in the first 58 session days of the Upper Chamber.
Since November 11, 2025, the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief has not attended any Senate sessions, since reports of a pending arrest warrant against him from the International Criminal Court (ICC) surfaced.
As of writing, no arrest warrant coming from the ICC has been issued against the senator.
“Umaapela tayo kay Sen. Bato Dela Rosa na kusang-loob na hindi muna tumanggap ng sweldo at allowances niya sa Senado (We appeal to Sen. Bato Dela Rosa to voluntarily forgo his Senate salary and allowances for the time being),” Ejercito said in a statement.
“As stated before, even by Senate President (Vicente “Tito”) Sotto (III), the Senate has yet to establish rules that can compel attendance,” he pointed out.
“Any formal action will take time, as it must go through amendments and proper deliberation,” he stressed.
Like ordinary Filipinos who are subject to a "no work, no pay," scheme, Ejercito said it is important that public servants should be even held more accountable for their actions.
“Gaya ng mga ordinaryong Pilipinong "no work no pay," lalo’t higit ganoon din dapat ang mga lingkod-bayan (Just like ordinary Filipinos, "no work, no pay," public servants should be even more so),” the senator said.
“Public service is a public trust, we are all accountable to the people we serve,” the lawmaker reiterated.