ABS-CBN
'Cannot be reached': Bato dela Rosa no show at budget bicam meeting
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian confirmed that Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Jinggoy Estrada will remain in the bicameral conference committee for the 2026 national budget.
Estrada withdrew from the panel due to allegations of corruption, while Dela Rosa was absent from the opening day of the bicameral conference committee hearing.
Gatchalian stated that repeated attempts to contact Dela Rosa were unsuccessful, and even his staff could not provide notice of his absence.
Gatchalian expressed hope that Dela Rosa would still attend the hearing to reconcile the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget.
Dela Rosa, who is in charge of the budget for the Department of National Defense, has been absent in Senate plenary sessions since November 11.
On December 14, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed an alleged arrest warrant against Dela Rosa has been issued by the International Criminal Court over his role as PNP chief in the drug war of the Duterte administration.
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