ONLY SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE CAN INITIATE SANCTIONS ON DELA ROSA, INCLUDING POSSIBLE EXPULSION – LACSON

ONLY the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges can initiate appropriate sanctions on Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa – including possible expulsion – for his prolonged absence, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson also said that without any complaint lodged before the Senate Ethics Committee  and without the committee’s recommendations to be presented to the plenary for adoption – the Senate leadership has no basis to sanction dela Rosa.

“As far as sanctioning senators or congressmen, only the Ethics Committee can make recommendations. And in the absence of any complaint filed before the Ethics Committee which was constituted only recently, the Senate President or Senate leadership has no basis to sanction him. That includes the possible withholding of salary for the time he does not report for work,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.

He said the Ethics Committee chaired by Sen. JV Ejercito is now waiting for an ethics complaint to be filed so it can take action. He said the committee is expected to hold an organizational meeting next week.

Also, Lacson noted former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV indicated he may file a complaint in May, six months after dela Rosa stopped reporting for work.

When asked if dela Rosa’s prolonged absence may become grounds for his expulsion from the Senate, Lacson said it is up to the ethics committee.

“It is up to the ethics committee to make the proper interpretation. A serious offense must be a basis for suspension or expulsion, and such an action must have the votes of two-thirds of senators in plenary,” he said.

But Lacson also pointed out that dela Rosa’s office is still functioning as it continues to file bills and resolutions.

“His office is still functioning. And in case it comes to that, should the plenary decide to withhold Sen. dela Rosa’s salary, his staff would likely be spared and will continue to receive their salaries because they are still reporting for work,” he said.

In the meantime, Lacson said dela Rosa has not communicated with him. Lacson said he has asked Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go to relay to dela Rosa’s wife a message asking how he is doing.

“I talked to Sen. Bong Go and asked him if dela Rosa is communicating with him. He said he is not, so he relayed his messages to dela Rosa’s wife. I asked him to relay my message to his wife asking how he is doing,” he said.