MANILA – Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is currently not allowed to join or participate in Senate plenary sessions and the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte through teleconferencing, based on existing Senate rules.

A media report cited Rule XIV, Section 41 of the Senate rules, which allows the Senate President to convene sessions via teleconference, video conference, or other electronic means only under force majeure or a declared national emergency that prevents members from physically attending sessions.

The provision states that such remote participation may be used when circumstances “may prevent the convening of the Senate or the physical presence of its members in the session hall,” subject to determination by a majority of senators.

Earlier, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta moved to amend the Senate rules on May 11 to allow broader use of teleconferencing for Senate proceedings. The proposal drew no objection but was referred to the Senate committee on rules for further study.

The issue comes after Dela Rosa left the Senate premises last week, where he was reportedly under protective custody, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with his role in the government’s war on illegal drugs.

This is not the first time remote participation has been considered for lawmakers in similar situations.

In 2019, then-Senate Majority Leader Franklin Drilon and Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson filed a resolution seeking to allow then-incarcerated Sen. Leila de Lima to attend plenary sessions through teleconferencing, although the proposal remained pending at the committee level.