“In the last few weeks, there was a man-made crisis by the Minority in cooperation with some people in the administration by them trying to undermine the leadership of the Senate at ipinapalabas na magulo ang Senado.”
This was the statement of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday after the Senate proceeded with a plenary session following the attendance of Senator Francis Escudero, which brought the number of senators present to 12.
In a Facebook Live on June 3, Cayetano challenged the proceedings as unconstitutional and contrary to Senate rules, warning that they could trigger a broader political crisis instead of allowing senators to focus on committee work, the impeachment proceedings, and the ongoing flood control investigation.
“Instead of a simple sine die adjournment kung saan mayroon tayong isang buwan na magtrabaho ang mga committee at pagkatapos uumpisahan na natin ang impeachment, they are going to bring the Senate and the country into a political crisis,” he said.
Cayetano maintained that the Constitution and Senate rules require the support of at least 13 senators to elect leadership positions, arguing that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s election as Senate President Pro Tempore and the subsequent reassignment of committee chairmanships were carried out without the required votes.
“Wala po silang [bilang na] thirteen,” he said.
“This is an illegal coup d’etat na may kasamang pagbabasura ng ating Constitution,” he added.
Cayetano questioned the timing of the leadership changes, claiming they would disrupt committee work, particularly the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing scheduled on June 4, Thursday, on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
“Wala naman po silang ginawa ngayon kung hindi baguhin ang mga committee para walang Blue Ribbon Committee hearing bukas,” he said.
He warned that the developments could affect the handling of the impeachment proceedings, noting that any move to amend the impeachment rules would require publication and could delay the process.
“Alam niyo po, madi-delay po ang impeachment sapagkat ‘pag pinalitan ang [Senate] rules ay kailangan pa na magkaroon ng publication,” he said.
“We need the impeachment [trial] to be fair and impartial. We need to investigate the flood control scam in a very impartial way that will be satisfactory to all our people. And we need a functioning Senate, an independent Senate,” he said.
Despite the dispute, Cayetano maintained that the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing would proceed as scheduled.
“Tomorrow, tuloy ang hearing ng Blue Ribbon Committee. I am still the legitimate, legal, moral Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines. There are still functioning committees,” he said. ###