Robin Padilla says Bato dela Rosa, No. 3 senator, must be allowed to serve online

Senator Robin Padilla on Thursday maintained that Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who's the subject of a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court, should be allowed to fulfill his mandate as a lawmaker via online.

"Maging sinuman na senador hangga't walang final conviction, ibig sabihin, hindi pa kriminal ang tao, kaya't dapat gawin niya ang mandato niya dahil ibinoto siya ng mga Pilipino," Padilla said on Facebook.

"Number 3 nga yan eh. Mas marami ang boto niya kesa sa marami sa inyo. Sinasaklawan niyo ang kapangyarihang ibinigay sa kanya ng taumbayan para maging boses nila," he added.

Dela Rosa placed third in the 2025 senatorial elections, behind topnotcher Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, and Sen. Benigno "Bam" Aquino III.

(Any senator who has yet to be convicted is still not a criminal and should be allowed to fulfill the mandate given by Filipinos. He's No. 3 in the elections. He has more votes than many of you. You are undermining the authority given to him by our countrymen to be their representative.)

Padilla said that his colleague did not intend to be physically absent but had to skip the Senate sessions amid the possibility of being arrested through a warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Si Bato ay wanted ng ICC; hindi niya gusto na hindi siya pumapasok. Malayong magkaiba yung ayaw niyang pumapasok dahil isasakay sa eroplano at dadalhin sa dayuhang bansa at ikulong!” Padilla said.

(Bato is wanted by the ICC; it’s not that he doesn't want to attend [sessions]. It is vastly different when someone skips work because they might be forced onto a plane, taken to a foreign country, and imprisoned!)

“Iniluklok siya ng taumbayan na maging senador. Hayaan natin siyang magtrabaho para sa taumbayan sa pamamagitan ng online,” Padilla added.

(The public elected him to be a senator, so let us allow him to work for the people online.)

Dela Rosa went back under the radar following a brief appearance at the Senate on May 11, where he cast his vote to install Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate President.

He sought protective custody at the Senate after members of the National Bureau of Investigation tried to serve the ICC arrest warrant against him. But the senator left the Senate with Padilla during the early hours of May 14, following a shooting incident at the upper chamber’s building.

Padilla noted that under the "presumption of innocence," a person cannot be considered guilty without conviction.

“Ang isang tao ay itinuturing na walang sala hangga't hindi napatutunayang nagkasala. Ito ang pangunahing prinsipyo ng batas na kilala sa Ingles bilang ‘presumption of innocence’,” the senator said.

(A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is a fundamental principle of law known in English as the ‘presumption of innocence.)

“Mas marami ang bumoto sa kanya para manungkulan. Gamitin ang technology para magampanan niya ito,” Padilla added.

(A large number of people voted for him to serve. Let us use technology so he can fulfill his duties.)

The Senate’s minority bloc earlier walked out of the session, opposing the proposed amendment that would allow senators to attend sessions and vote through teleconferencing.

The bloc also called out that the Senate rules requiring prior notice before deliberating on suggested rule amendments were violated.

GMA News Online reached out to Senate Minority Floor Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III for a comment. –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA News