Former Senate President Franklin Drilon urged Filipinos to focus on the court-blocked ₱85 Metro Manila wage hike rather than speculation over the supposed arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, stressing that the TRO directly holds back a pay increase for more than 1.1 million minimum-wage workers.
Speculation over Dela Rosa surged after unverified reports circulated online claiming that the ICC-wanted senator had already been arrested. No arrest took place. NBI Director Melvin Matibag denied that his agency had apprehended Dela Rosa, while Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla separately confirmed that the senator had not been arrested as of the previous evening.
“Bakit ba nagiging issue ito? Ang daming pag-uusapan na mas patok. Halimbawa itong restraining order na ginawa ng Pasig City court against the wage increase,” Drilon said.
Drilon, who previously served as labor secretary, said the wage dispute as the more immediate public concern because the court order directly affects workers’ take-home pay.
Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152 temporarily stopped the implementation of Wage Order No. NCR-27, which grants a ₱60 increase in the first tranche and another ₱25 on January 20, 2027. Full implementation would raise the daily minimum wage to ₱780 for non-agricultural workers and ₱743 for workers in agriculture and other covered establishments.
The TRO has since turned into a broader labor fight. Twenty-one senators from the majority and minority signed Senate Resolution No. 577, initiated by Majority Leader Migs Migz Zubiri, calling for the immediate lifting of the court order. Sen. Robin Padilla also joined Kamanggagawa Rep. Eli San Fernando and Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña in marching to the Pasig court, with the lawmakers setting aside political differences to push for the wage increase.
Workers have taken the same demand to the streets and the courtroom. Labor groups including the Federation of Free Workers, SENTRO and Partido Manggagawa moved to intervene in the case, while workers protested outside the Pasig RTC and later at the Department of Labor and Employment.
The TRO was issued despite President Bongbong Marcos‘ support for higher wages through regional wage boards. Before his July 27 State of the Nation Address, Marcos publicly cited the ₱85 NCR increase and said regional wage boards across the country were reviewing minimum wages based on local economic conditions and living costs.
