'Bato' no-show at budget bicam; Win Gatchalian says senator 'could not be reached'

Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa skipped the opening day of the bicameral conference committee hearing on the proposed 2026 national budget, with Senate Finance Committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian saying that repeated attempts to contact the former were unsuccessful.

“I called him several times, but his phone cannot be reached,” Gatchalian said when asked about Dela Rosa’s absence on the first day of the bicam hearing to harmonize the disagreeing provisions of the House and Senate versions of the proposed P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026.

Dela Rosa, vice chair of the Senate finance committee, is among the senators designated to represent the upper chamber in the bicameral conference committee.

However, Gatchalian said even Dela Rosa’s staff failed to inform him of the senator’s absence.

“Wala naman sinabi. Walang pasabi (They didn’t say anything. There was no notice),” he said.

Gatchalian said he remains hopeful that Dela Rosa will still attend the bicameral conference committee hearing, which is set to resume Sunday afternoon.

“Alam naman ng staff niya na ongoing ’yung bicam so, hopefully, dumating siya,” he added.

(His staff knows the bicam is ongoing, so hopefully he shows up.)

But Dela Rosa’s absence does not necessarily warrant the filing of an ethics complaint, Gatchalian said.

“Ang bicam naman tuloy-tuloy. Nagfa-function naman kami. Hindi naman nagkaroon ng bog down,” he said.

(The bicam continued to function even without [Dela Rosa]. We didn’t bog down.)

However, Gatchalian said Dela Rosa should formally explain his absence by sending a letter to the Senate President.

“That’s the proper way para nakaabiso ang Senado, especially since may mga committee siya at may mga subcommittee siya,” he added.

(That’s the proper way so the Senate is notified, especially since he has committees and subcommittees to attend to.)

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III earlier said critics of Dela Rosa may file an ethics complaint if they seek to hold the senator accountable for his continued absence from Senate sessions.

Dela Rosa has largely avoided public appearances since early November after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that an alleged arrest order had been issued against him in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

According to Dela Rosa’s lawyer, the senator has kept a low profile because “his personal safety is at stake.”

Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief, was the lead implementer of the previous administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

He also previously served as Davao City police chief when former president Rodrigo Duterte was mayor.—MCG, GMA Integrated News