Rules on absent senators sought

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III has filed a resolution seeking definitive rules to address the absences of senators like Ronald dela Rosa, who has gone into hiding since the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered his arrest for crimes against humanity.

Sotto filed Senate Resolution 751 on Oct. 27 to address the policy gap in the Senate rules that allowed Dela Rosa to get away with being absent since the ICC issued the warrant for his arrest in November last year.

Senate rules are silent on what to do with members who go absent without authorization, disrupting their legislative duties and wasting public funds, Sotto said.

“There is a policy gap as regards the possible sanction on a member of the Senate with prolonged unauthorized absence, rendering them unable to participate in major legislative functions,” Sotto said.

“Such absenteeism and neglect of duty is deemed a waste of taxpayer funds and has caused public clamor over the past months,” he said.

Sotto urged the Senate committee on rules “to institutionalize addressing the prolonged unauthorized absence of members of the Senate.”