Senate ethics panel completes membership

The Senate on Monday completed the composition of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges after electing additional members to the panel.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri moved to elect Senators Joel Villanueva, Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, and Christopher “Bong” Go from the minority bloc as members of the committee.

The motion was approved by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III without objection.

The Committee on Ethics and Privileges—tasked with handling matters relating to the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity, and reputation of the Senate and its members—is chaired by Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito.

Aside from Ejercito and the three newly elected members, the committee is composed of Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan as vice chairperson, along with Senators Risa Hontiveros and Erwin Tulfo.

Meanwhile, Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano will serve as ex officio members of the committee.

Last week, a lawyer filed an ethics complaint against Ejercito for alleged gross neglect of constitutional duty, claiming he failed to act on a separate complaint against Senator Francis Escudero.

Ejercito, however, said the ethics committee could not conduct hearings at the time because it had yet to be formally constituted.

The complaint against Escudero was filed in October 2025 over a P30-million campaign donation he received in 2022 from contractor Lawrence Lubiano.

Escudero has maintained that the donation was “legal, fully declared, and follows long-standing practice.”—MCG, GMA Integrated News