Robin replaces Bato as Blue Ribbon panel member

Senator Robin Padilla on Wednesday was elected as the newest member of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, replacing Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa who has been a no-show in the chamber since November last year. 

During the Senate plenary session, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito moved to elect Padilla, as the replacement of Dela Rosa, in the Senate minority bloc’s contingent to the committee. 

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III approved the motion, with no objections from their colleagues.

To recall, dela Rosa has not made any public appearance and has not attended any session at the Senate since November 11, 2025. 

His absences began after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant of arrest against him over the bloody war on drugs. 

The ICC Office of the Prosecutor later on identified dela Rosa as one of the alleged co-perpetrators of former president Rodrigo Duterte in his crimes against humanity case. 

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, formally known as the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, is tasked to investigate all matters relating to malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance in office by officers and employees of the government, its branches, agencies, subdivisions and instrumentalities; implementation of the provision of the Constitution on nepotism; and investigation of any matter of public interest on its initiative or brought to its attention by any member of the Senate. —RF, GMA Integrated News