SENATE President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Friday that he urged Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa not to take his salary during his prolonged absence from the Senate.
Sotto disclosed this information after Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III filed House Bill No. 7432, seeking to institutionalize a “no work, no pay” scheme for members of Congress, including senators. Sotto said he suggested to Dela Rosa that he voluntarily forgo his salary to reduce public pressure, given his absence.
A senator is under Salary Grade (SG) 31, earning at least P293,191 per month as of Jan. 1, 2025. Sotto said he has yet to hear from Dela Rosa regarding the suggestion, and for now, Dela Rosa has “automatic” access to his salary.
Dela Rosa’s absence stems from concerns regarding an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest, as mentioned by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla last November. Dela Rosa, who served as the Philippine National Police chief under former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been absent from the Senate since then.
Former President Duterte was arrested on March 12, 2025, and has since been held in The Hague. The ICC is investigating alleged crimes committed during Duterte’s administration’s war on drugs, which resulted in thousands of deaths.
metrosundaily
