Days after he reportedly slipped out of Senate custody, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was again absent from the Senate plenary session on Monday, May 18, as the chamber was set to convene as an impeachment court to try Vice President Sara Duterte.
Based on the official roll call, 23 out of 24 senators were present during the session.
Dela Rosa was the only senator absent as the upper chamber formally convened as an impeachment court following the transmittal of the articles of impeachment against Duterte.
The Senate is set to deliberate on the articles as it starts the impeachment trial proper, with lawmakers taking on their roles as senator-judges.
Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla was present during the session. He had earlier been linked in reports to Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate premises last Thursday, May 14, when the latter allegedly left the chamber in the early hours of the morning following a gunfire incident on the Senate.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had earlier identified Padilla as a "person of interest" in its ongoing inquiry related to Dela Rosa’s movements after leaving the Senate compound.
Dela Rosa first returned to the Senate on May 11 after a six-month absence from public duties. During a plenary session on that date, he broke his silence on his return, citing several reasons, including the Senate leadership change, his role in the impeachment court, and criticism over his continued receipt of salary despite his absence from official duties.
He subsequently left the Senate on May 14 and has not been seen at sessions since.
Meanwhile, the Senate session proceeded amid renewed political tension, with reports of possible leadership changes involving Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano circulating in political circles, though no official confirmation has been made.
