Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is still not allowed to attend Senate plenary sessions or impeachment court proceedings virtually as the proposed amendment to Senate rules has yet to be tackled in session.
The issue stemmed from a previous motion raised by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta during a Senate plenary session seeking to amend Rule 14 of the Senate Session Rules.
Under Marcoleta’s proposed amendment, senators would be allowed to attend sessions through teleconference, video conference, or other similar means provided there is a justifiable reason for their inability to physically appear at the Senate.
The proposal was raised amid discussions involving remote participation in Senate proceedings, including possible attendance in impeachment court sessions.
According to reports, no senator objected to Marcoleta’s proposal when it was presented during plenary deliberations.
However, the motion was later referred to the Senate Committee on Rules for further discussion and review before any formal adoption or implementation.
As of now, the proposed amendment remains pending before the committee, preventing dela Rosa and other senators from participating virtually in official Senate proceedings.
The Senate has not yet announced when the Committee on Rules will deliberate on the proposal or whether amendments to the existing rules will eventually be approved.
Current Senate rules still require physical attendance unless changes are formally adopted by the chamber.
The matter comes amid continuing public attention on Senate procedures and the conduct of impeachment-related proceedings.
