MANILA — Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he is preparing to file an ethics complaint against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, accusing the lawmaker of abandoning his Senate duties for months while his office continues to receive public funds.
Trillanes said the planned complaint aims to hold Dela Rosa accountable for what he described as an unjustified, prolonged absence from Senate work, stressing that taxpayers should not be paying for an office whose principal official is not reporting for duty.
“We will be filing an ethics case against him kase tuloy-tuloy ‘yung ano, ang pagpondo ng gobyerno sa kanyang opisina pero without any reason ay hindi siya pumapasok,” Trillanes said in a television interview.
He said Dela Rosa is being given time to resume attending Senate sessions, but warned that continued absence would force them to formally pursue the case.
“Otherwise, dereliction of duty ito,” Trillanes added.
Dela Rosa has not attended any Senate plenary session since November 2025, following claims by Jesus Crispin Remulla that the International Criminal Court had issued a warrant of arrest against the senator. Dela Rosa has not directly addressed the allegation but recently issued a brief statement on his 64th birthday saying he is still “waiting.”
Trillanes further alleged that attempts to locate Dela Rosa have been undermined by information leaks from within the Philippine National Police, where the senator, a former police chief, reportedly maintains close connections.
“May mga nakukuha tayong impormasyon. Pinapasa natin… pero alam ninyo, sa dami ng contacts ni Bato dyan sa PNP (Philippine National Police) eh.. nile-leak lang nila. So I think ‘yung pinaka-effective dito ‘yung signal intelligence para ma-track siya kasi he’s been communicating with his family,” Trillanes said./PN
