Two bills bearing the signature of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa were submitted to the Senate on May 4 and formally read during plenary session two days later — even as the senator himself remained absent from the chamber for the sixth consecutive month.
Senate records show both measures were filed with the Senate Bills and Index Section at nearly the same time on Monday afternoon, at 2:56 p.m. and 2:57 p.m., as the chamber resumed work following a month-long recess.
One of the proposals, Senate Bill No. 2080 or the Counter Foreign Interference Act, seeks to legally define and penalize acts of foreign interference in the Philippines. The measure also calls for the creation of a counter foreign interference council tasked with developing focused programs across sectors including political, economic, social, technological, educational, legal, and military affairs.
The second measure, Senate Bill No. 2079 or the National Police Clearance System Act, aims to strengthen the existing NPCS by mandating a centralized repository of reported crime incidents, arrest warrants, and the photographs and personal details of arrested and wanted individuals.
Dela Rosa has not appeared in public or attended any Senate session since November 2025. His prolonged absence has been widely linked to reports that the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with his role in the Duterte administration’s drug war.
The Senate ethics committee is now examining whether Dela Rosa’s absence warrants formal sanction. On Monday, the panel asked him to respond to a proposal that would amend Senate rules to impose a “no work, no pay” policy on senators who fail to attend sessions without justification.
