Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was absent on Saturday from the first day of the Bicameral Conference Committee hearings on the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or 2026 national budget.

The deliberations, which were streamed live for the first time to the public, saw a number of senators missing from the Senate contingent. Alongside Dela Rosa, Senators JV Ejercito, Camille Villar, and Pia Cayetano were also absent.

The Bicameral Conference Committee (Bicam) is tasked with reconciling differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives on the national budget, and Saturday marked the first-ever live broadcast of the proceedings to enhance transparency and public access.

Despite being delegated as a Senate representative for the bicam, Dela Rosa continued his month-long absence from Senate activities. He also chairs and sponsors budget allocations for key agencies, including the Department of National Defense (DND), making his absence particularly notable.

At this time, no official explanation has been provided for the senators’ absence.

Dela Rosa has not attended Senate sessions since November 8, when Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla announced on DZRH's Executive Session that an arrest warrant had been issued for the senator by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with crimes against humanity.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) currently have no information regarding his whereabouts.