The Senate is set to tackle two key issues during its caucus on Monday, including the continued absence of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said the matter would likely be raised during the closed-door meeting of senators.
"Seriously, minsan nagkakabiruan... But I think if we take it seriously and on Monday pagka meron kami Senators' caucus, it could come up and we can have a consensus," Lacson said.
Lacson made the statement during an interview with reporters at the PMA Alumni Homecoming in Baguio City, where his fellow PMA graduate, former Philippine National Police chief, and colleague in the Senate, dela Rosa, was also absent.
According to Lacson, the issue warrants serious discussion, especially after the International Criminal Court reportedly named dela Rosa as a respondent in its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. Senator Bong Go was also mentioned in connection with the case.
Earlier reports also quoted Justice Secretary Boying Remulla as saying that there were talks of a possible arrest warrant against dela Rosa. Since then, the senator has not appeared in Senate sessions.
In a separate matter, Lacson also described as a “breath of fresh air” the recent statement of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines expressing openness to dialogue amid tensions over the West Philippine Sea.
"On Monday, we're having an all-senators co-post. And I think it's not only my initiative but the initiative of the new Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Sen. Erwin Tulfo, na mag-open kami ng dialogue," the Senator said.
"Not necessarily to argue about the Kalayaan Island Group or the West Philippine Sea, but at least mag-establish kami ng parameters on how to communicate with each other," he added.
The planned all-senators caucus aims to lay down guidelines or parameters for discussions on sensitive foreign policy issues to ensure constructive engagement among lawmakers.
