Dela Rosa’s long Senate absence may merit ethics case | The wRap - video Dailymotion

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Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:  - Sotto: Critics of Dela Rosa’s absence can file ethics complaint - Remitted PhilHealth, PDIC funds used for flood control projects — Carpio - ICI holds hearing on flood control mess - Gatchalian: Senate working on tight schedule to pass 2026 budget - Negros Oriental twin lakes park joins elite ASEAN heritage list  https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/december-2-2025/

Transcript

00:00Today on Rappler

00:06Senate President Tito Soto says critics may file an ethics complaint against Senator Bato

00:17De La Rosa for his now weeks-long absence. Retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio

00:22says funds from PhilHealth and the PDIC were diverted to flood control projects in violation

00:28of the Constitution. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure live-streams its hearing on

00:33flood control corruption for the first time. Senate Finance Panel Chief Win Gatchalian says

00:38the schedule is tight for passing the Senate's version of the 2026 National Budget Bill.

00:43And Apo Reef, the Turtle Islands, and the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Park join the ASEAN's

00:49list of top heritage parks for conservation. Senate President Tito Soto tells critics of

00:56Senator Ronald Bato De La Rosa to file an ethics complaint against him. This in relation to

01:01De La Rosa's continued absence in the Senate since rumors of an international criminal court warrant

01:06for his arrest surfaced. Soto says De La Rosa continues to receive a salary since it has

01:11already been allotted. He also clarifies that senators are not subject to

01:15no-work-no-pay rules faced by ordinary employees. De La Rosa has been a no-show at the Senate for

01:21around three weeks. However, his legal counsel insists the senator is not hiding and is instead

01:27verifying reports of the supposed warrant. Because of his continued absence, De La Rosa failed to

01:32defend the proposed 2026 budgets of key defense and security agencies which he sponsored.

01:40Retard Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio says funds from PhilHealth and the Philippine Deposit

01:44Insurance Corporation were diverted to the construction of flood control projects. He says,

01:49this violates the 1987 constitution. A provision in the 2024 General Appropriations Act allows excess

01:56funds from government-owned or controlled corporations to be transferred to the Bureau of the Treasury.

02:02This is to fund unprogrammed appropriations which include flood control projects. Carpio says such a

02:08provision is not included in any previous GAAs which are the yearly national budget laws.

02:13PhilHealth and PDIC remitted 60 billion pesos and 107 billion pesos respectively of their funds in

02:20compliance with the directive. Carpio calls the provision unconstitutional, saying PhilHealth and

02:25PDIC funds are trust funds that cannot be used for any other purpose. The retired justice says the

02:31mastermind of the scheme should be tracked down and public officials behind it should be held

02:35accountable. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure live-streams its hearing for the

02:41first time on Tuesday, December 2, after months of public clamor. Last week, four members of the

02:47House of Representatives dodged the live-streaming of their hearings by invoking a closed-door executive

02:52session. The first to break that pattern is Laguna 4th District Representative Benji Agarrao,

02:57whose hearing was live-streamed. Top flood control contractors Sarah and Curly Diskaya claimed that Agarrao

03:03extorted money from them, which the lawmaker denies. In one exchange, Reyes asked Agarrao if he would

03:09be willing to surrender his phone records to the commission for investigation. Agarrao quickly refused,

03:15saying his wife might get mad. He explains that he uses two phones, one for work and another for

03:20personal matters. In response, Reyes says,

03:22Kaya ayaw namin ng live-streaming naririnding ng mga tao tungkol sa asawa. Tiyatanong ko lang if you're

03:29willing to surrender the cell phone. Kasi nga po, we are investigating everything na na-allege eh.

03:38Pasensya kayo kung natanong ko tungkol sa asawa ninyo. Kaya ayaw ko ng live-streaming talaga eh.

03:44Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gachalian says, despite the tight schedule,

03:51the body aims to pass the proposed 2026 national budget on time to prevent a re-enacted 2025 budget.

03:57He says the Senate aims to pass its version of the 6.792 trillion pesos spending plan on third and

04:03final reading by Tuesday, December 9. The bicameral conference committee meetings are expected to begin

04:09on December 11. Gachalian says he hopes to have the bicam report signed by December 16 and have the

04:152026 budget signed into law by December 29. If President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not sign the

04:222026 budget into law by the end of December, the 2025 budget will automatically be re-enacted.

04:29Gachalian also says the bicam will live-stream its meetings and upload key documents, including the

04:34third reading budget copy and committee reports. This is to allow civil society and the

04:39public to track all changes to the spending plan.

04:44Three of the Philippines' most prized natural features have now been designated as ASEAN Heritage

04:49Parks. They are the Apo Reef Natural Park in Occidental Mindoro, the Balinsasayaw Twin Lakes Park in

04:56Negros Oriental, and the Turtle Islands Wild Dive Sanctuary in Tawi-Tawi. Their inclusion in ASEAN's list

05:02recognizes their ecological importance and qualifies them for regional cooperation and assistance.

05:08Apo Reef is the second largest contiguous reef system in the world, next to Australia's Great

05:14Barrier Reef. The Balinsasayaw Twin Lakes Park is home to several endemic and globally important

05:20endangered species of animals. The Turtle Island Sanctuary is ASEAN's only major nesting habitat of

05:26green sea turtles. It's internationally recognized as a high priority for biodiversity conservation.

05:32With these, the Philippines now has a total of 14 sites under the ASEAN Conservation Program.

05:38And that's today's wrap. I'm JC Gotinga. Thank you for watching. Click the link below for the full story.

05:45For more updates, download the Rappler app.

Dela Rosa’s long Senate absence may merit ethics case | The wRap

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