Last May 11, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa surprised everyone by showing up at the Senate for the first time in five months--a move that made possible the Senate coup d'etat that installed Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President.

That's exactly the kind of courage that Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong wants his fellow Mindanaoan, Dela Rosa to display when it comes to the upcoming Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Let us remember, physical presence is important in legislation. The rules to require physical presence of legislators were actually [intended] to inculcate among members the deep commitment to good work,” Adiong said

Adiong issued this challenge of sorts to Dela Rosa amid the push from the latter's colleagues in the Senate majority to permit senator from participating in proceedings--including the impeachment trial--remotely or via online.

“Remember when Senator Bato de la Rosa was initially, according to his narration, blocked from entering the Senate premises and he had to force himself in?" recalled the congressman, who is one of the two spokespersons of the House prosecution panel.

He noted that the senator from Davao injured himself while being chased by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents who were trying to arrest him on the strength of a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“There was a sort of, may nasugatan (somebody got hurt), Senator Bato de la Rosa, because he needed to really break into the cordon of securities precluding him from entering the premises and to me…That is the kind of commitment that we expect from the senators, to be able to participate in legislative matters, especially if they are deciding on a very important subject matter,” he said.

“But that kind of commitment should be applied to all other legislative work that the Senate would indulge itself in. It does not only require that kind of commitment when there is a decision to change the leadership that is my point. That's how commitment the public would expect from the senator,” Adiong said.

Dela Rosa, who for the most part has been in hiding since November 2025, is considered a wanted man by The Hague-based ICC due to his alleged involvement in drug war killings during the previous Duterte administration.

He is the first Philippine National Police (PNP) chief under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is already under ICC custody.

The Lanao del Sur House solon argued that allowing virtual participation and online voting “would lessen not only the commitment of one to perform his job, but the expectation of the people, those who have voted public officers, especially us in the legislature, the trust and confidence that they expect you to be there and to meticulously examine any proposals, whether this is on the issue of impeachment or just the ordinary legislative business".

Adiong said that as a general rule in Congress work, “People expect us to be there.

Earlier, another House prosecution panel spokesperson, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, suggested that Dela Rosa should give himself up first before the Senate decides on the online voting issue.

“So dumadagdag po talaga ‘yung interpretation and even ‘yung clamor ng legal authorities na kailangan lang pong boluntaryong pagsuko ni Sen Bato. Kailangan mangyari ‘yun before any discussion of Senate rules and how it will affect his participation. And the processes na dapat ‘yung mga proseso na nakaabang sa kanya sa legal ay harapin na po muna niya,” Co said.

(So the interpretation and even the clamor of legal authorities really add up to the point that Senator Bato must voluntarily surrender. That needs to happen before any discussion of Senate rules and how it will affect his participation. And the processes waiting for him in the legal system must first be faced.)