Lacson: Bato’s salary may be withheld over prolonged absence

The salary of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa – who has been absent at the Senate since November last year – may be withheld should there be a recommendation by the Senate ethics committee, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Tuesday. 

In an ambush interview, Lacson said former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV went to the Senate earlier in the day to meet him and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Among those that were discussed, he said, was Trillanes’ plan to file an ethics complaint against dela Rosa.

Quoting Trillanes, Lacson said the complaint may be filed in March.

The Senate may then use a possible recommendation by the ethics committee to amend the rules that would pave the way for sanctions against dela Rosa. 

“More or less, ‘yun yung isang suggestion na baka i-suspend o itigil ‘yung sweldo... Sabi ko kay SP (Senate President) kanina, ipaaral natin mabuti kasi covered kami ng Civil Service Law. Baka ‘di umubra ‘yung hindi mo paswelduhin ‘yung senador kung walang basis,” Lacson said.

(More or less, one of the suggestions is that his salary might be suspended or be withheld. I told SP earlier that we should study that carefully because we are covered by the Civil Service Law. The plan not to pay a sitting senator might not work if there is no basis.) 

“Pero tama rin si SP, we have our own rules, bound tayo ng ethics committee recommendation. Once ma-adopt sa plenary, pwedeng isa sa mga recommendation, pwedeng i-implement ng plenary na itigil ‘yung sweldo. That’s one of the suggestions,” he added. 

(But SP is also right, we have our own rules, we are bound by the ethics committee recommendation. Once adopted by the plenary, one of the recommendations that can be implemented by the plenary is to stop the issuance of his salary. That’s one of the suggestions.) 

GMA News Online has reached out to dela Rosa for comment and will publish it once available.

On Monday, the Senate completed the composition of its committee on ethics and privileges after electing additional members to the panel.

Asked on the possible worst-case scenario for dela Rosa, Lacson said, “Worst is makulong siya sa (for him to be detained in) The Hague. Nothing to be worse than that siguro (probably) for a sitting senator.” 

Dela Rosa has not attended any session at the Senate since November 11. 

His absences began after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against him over the bloody war on drugs during the Duterte administration, where he served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP). — JMA, GMA Integrated News