SP Sotto hits Bato's failure to defend DND budget

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Thursday called out Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa for failing to fulfill his responsibility of defending the proposed 2026 budget of key security agencies due to his continued absence in the plenary session.

In an ambush interview, Sotto said Dela Rosa has been absent since the Senate resumed session on November 11 after a month-long break. He also said Dela Rosa did not advise him of his absence and has not gotten in touch with him since the break.

"Malalaki na sila (They're grown-ups already). It's their own lookout," Sotto said when asked by reporters what he made of Dela Rosa's actions. 

To recall, Dela Rosa's absence in the session since November 11 came after the announcement of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued a warrant of arrest against him in relation to the controversial war on drugs during the Duterte administration. 

On Thursday, the proposed 2026 budget of several agencies, including the Department of National Defense (DND), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and the National Security Council (NSA) are set to reach the Senate floor. 

As the designated budget sponsor for these agencies, Sotto said it is "not okay" that Dela Rosa would miss the plenary debates, and that the latter would instead be substituted by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. 

"Hindi okay 'yun. In the first place, dapat hindi mo hiniling na makuha mo 'yung mga chairmanship na 'yun kung hindi mo naman, kung kaya mo. Sana kung hindi mo kaya, hindi mo dapat hiniling na makuha mo 'yung chairmanship na 'yun, especially vice chairmanship ng budget, national defense. Napakahalaga eh," Sotto said. 

(That's not okay. In the first place, you shouldn't have asked to get committee chairmanships if you can't lead the panels. If you can't, you shouldn't have asked to get their chairmanship, especially vice chairmanship of the budget for national defense. That's very important.) 

"So, you know, I leave it to Senator Gatchalian, who's the chairman of the Committee on Finance. Siya na bahala kung anong gagawin niya (It's up to him what to do)," he added.

Last Wednesday, Gatchalian said he would take on the role of defending the DND's proposed 2026 budget due to Dela Rosa's continued absence.

Sotto also said he would check if there are any possible sanctions for such long absences. 

The Senate President previously said the upper chamber would not allow the arrest of a senator within its premises "to preserve the dignity of the Senate, and as a matter of institutional courtesy."

Dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) when former President Rodrigo Duterte launched his controversial campaign against illegal drugs. 

Duterte is currently detained at The Hague in the Netherlands on charges of crimes against humanity following his arrest through a warrant issued by the ICC. — VDV, GMA Integrated News