Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan rejected allegations of double standards over proposals allowing remote voting or attendance for senators, saying former Senator Leila de Lima’s remote participation in Senate sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic was entirely different from proposals allowing Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to attend sessions online while allegedly evading authorities.
Pangilinan issued the statement following comparisons made online regarding his previous request to allow de Lima to participate in Senate sessions remotely while she was detained.
In a Facebook post, Pangilinan criticized what he described as “paid trolls” for comparing de Lima’s situation to that of dela Rosa, who is currently in hiding after allegedly evading authorities over an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
The senator recalled that in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he appealed to the Senate leadership to permit then-detained Senator Leila de Lima to join plenary sessions through teleconferencing.
“Yung kay Leila, panahon ng Covid at siya ay nakakulong dahil nag-surrender siya sa mga awtoridad at nirespeto ang arresting officers. Law abiding,” Pangilinan said.
He contrasted this with dela Rosa’s current situation, noting that there is no pandemic at present and accusing the senator of fleeing from authorities.
“Si Bato, walang Covid ngayon, nagtatago, at tinakasan ang mga awtoridad. Law breaker. Hindi dapat kinokonsinti ang law breaker,” Pangilinan added.
“Huwag magpaloko sa mga nagkukumpara ng langka sa durian,” Pangilinan said.
He also called on critics to stop spreading misinformation.
“Tigilan na ninyo ang mga paninira at mga kasinungalingan ninyong mga trolls na mga bayaran ng mga kurakot na pulitikong nasa likod ninyo. Hindi nyo na kaya lokohin ang taumbayan,” he said.
In 2021, Pangilinan and Senator Risa Hontiveros filed a Senate resolution seeking to allow de Lima to participate in Senate sessions through teleconferencing. Former Senators Franklin Drilon and Ralph Recto also supported the measure.
The resolution cited Senate rule amendments adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which permitted plenary sessions and committee hearings to be conducted through video conferencing during force majeure events or national emergencies.
The proposal also referenced the Trillanes vs. Pimentel ruling as part of its legal basis, although the measure did not advance.
De Lima spent nearly seven years in detention on drug-related charges before being acquitted of all cases in June 2024. She later returned to politics and won a seat in the House of Representatives as a Mamamayang Liberal Party-list representative during the 2025 national and local elections.
On Tuesday, Sen. Imee Marcos questioned the opposition of the minority over the motion filed by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta allowing remote participation in Senate sessions and voting.
Senator dela Rosa has reportedly been in hiding since May 14 after leaving the Senate premises following the presentation of an ICC arrest warrant against him.
The National Bureau of Investigation earlier said that more individuals could soon be issued arrest warrants by the ICC.
