No work, no pay? Ejercito says Sotto gave order to study amending Senate rules

Senator JV Ejercito said Friday that Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III already gave instructions to study the possibility of amending the rules of the Senate, noting that the chamber has no existing “no work, no pay” policy. 

Ejercito, who chairs the Senate ethics committee, said this amid talks about the case of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who has been absent from the chamber for four months now. 

“Kinausap ko na po si Senate President Sotto and I think nagbigay na siya ng instructions sa Rules Committee headed by our Majority Leader, Senator Migz Zubiri, na pag-aralan na para i-update na rin, amyendahan ang rules ng Senate kasi medyo matagal na rin. So, nagbigay na ho siya ng instructions,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(I’ve already spoken with Senate President Sotto and I think he has already given instructions to the Rules Committee headed by our Majority Leader, Senator Migz Zubiri, to study, update, and amend the Senate rules because it is quite outdated. So, he has already given instructions.) 

Ejercito previously said that the ethics complaint filed against Dela Rosa over his continued absence may be dismissed if immediately heard without the rules of the Senate getting amended.

This, as he pointed out that there is no provision about the “no work, no pay” in the rules either of the committee on ethics and privileges, or the Senate entirely. 

Ejercito, however, clarified that the possible amendment of the rules is purely procedural, and that the matter was already discussed with the complainants. 

“Hindi po ‘yan bias. Hindi po sa pinagtatakpan natin si Senator dela Rosa. It’s a procedural issue,” he said. 

(That’s not bias. It’s not that we’re covering up for Senator dela Rosa. It’s a procedural issue.) 

Civil society group Wag Kang KuCorrupt filed the ethics complaint against Dela Rosa last month, urging the Senate committee to conduct a formal inquiry into the matter, determine whether there has been a violation of Senate rules and ethical standards, and impose appropriate sanctions if warranted. 

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

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

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

Dela Rosa served as chief of the Davao City Police from January 2012 to October 2013; and chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from July 2016 to April 2018 and the main implementer of Duterte's anti-illegal drug campaign.—AOL, GMA Integrated News