Cayetano has asked to resign as Senate president as the majority passes adjournment

By Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel

SENATE PRESIDENT Alan Peter S. Cayetano must step down as Senate president after a majority of lawmakers voted for the second time this week, a minority Senate group said Tuesday, holding up key legislative work.

The younger senators, called “Solid Bloc 11,” appeared before the media at the Assembly Hall to speak on the second day of the non-show of the majority, saying that the absence of the bloc led by Cayetano shows “disrespect for duty.”

“The Senate will not be able to stop working because its boss refuses,” said Senator Erwin T. Tulfo during a small group meeting.

“President Alan Peter Cayetano should resign as he has shown that he cannot serve as the leader of the Senate.”

Senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan suggested that there was a violation of the Rules of the Senate, citing its Rule XIV, Section 41 which mandates that the president of the Senate may adjourn the session after consulting both the majority and minority leaders.

Mr. Pangilinan also expressed disappointment over the postponement of the meetings, noting that the agriculture and citizenship bills have been butting heads due to the leadership conflict.

“We apologize to them, we apologize to the people of the Philippines,” said Mr. Pangilinan. “Four bills have been opened [Tuesday’s] The agenda I hope will benefit our farmers and fishermen, two agricultural bills and citizen laws.”

Former Finance Committee Chairman Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said the Senate spends P25 million a day on utilities and staff salaries, adding that mismanagement of the session wastes taxpayers’ money.

The small group also urged their colleagues to attend the meeting, expressing freedom from any debates.

Many bloc members on Monday withdrew from the scheduled 17:00 hearing following Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada, Jr. voluntarily surrendering to the police following the issuance of a warrant for his arrest on robbery charges related to the flood control scam.

Malacañang raised the impact of the Senate ruckus on the legislative agenda which is very important, and ultimately, to the Filipino people and the economy.

“If this is what happens in the Senate, it will be very difficult [to pass priority bills]and to the people of the Philippines and the economy because of the noise and chaos in the room,” Palace Press chief Clarissa A. Castro told the forum in Filipino.

On the executive side, he assured that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and the Cabinet secretaries are doing their part and are open to coordinate and cooperate with whoever is leading this room.

“It is true that there was no need for work to be interrupted [last June 1]. Accompanying and supporting Senator Jinggoy Estrada as a friend was right, but there was no need to set aside your authority and responsibilities in this kind of matter,” he added.

Congress has until Thursday to take legislative action before adjourning the sine die on June 4. Lawmakers will reconvene on July 27 for the start of a new regular session and Mr. Trump’s State of the Union Address. Marcos.

On the radio live on Facebook, Mr. Cayetano accused the Senate minority of staging the walkout as a ploy to gain a majority and prevent Senate rules from being changed.

“The purpose of their going out is for them to be many. So now, since there was no quorum and no meetings. [on Monday] again [Tuesday]which comes with protests – protests against the puppet Senate they want,” he said in Filipino, adding that it is also a tool of the parliament to ensure that the Blue Ribbon panel, led by his sister Pilar Juliana “Pia” S. Cayetano, will continue its hearing on Thursday. So now the majority (bloc) is applying the rules correctly – morally and legally.”

A number of lawmakers denied his allegations during their discussions.

Political analysts said the recent move by the majority as an attempt to increase their value against the minority to improve public perception and the way the trial is conducted.

“Not showing up at the forum seems less like an isolated incident and more like a continuation of the ongoing struggle to control the Senate’s agenda, procedures, and institutional direction,” said Arjan P. Aguirre, political science lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University, in a Facebook Messenger interview.

The absence of a majority bloc jeopardizes the legislative work, Ateneo de Manila University political science professor Hansley A. Juliano said separately, noting that it is a move to cripple minorities.

“This is about paralyzing the body to pressure the minority to fold into themselves,” he said in a Messenger interview. “As long as their base supports them and tolerates them, and public opinion does not continue to be against them, especially with the loss [vice president]we will continue to see this problem.” – with Chloe Mari A. Hufana