Four former Senate Presidents, including two incumbent senators, have criticized the recent developments at the chamber.
In a statement posted on Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s Facebook page, former senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Franklin Drilon, as well as incumbent senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Vicente Sotto III, said they called on current senators for a “de-escalation” of public rhetoric demeaning the Senate and weakening the confidence in the chamber.
“Those of us who once held the gavel know that the highest duty of a Senate President is not to cling to office but to leave the institution stronger, more respected, and more firmly bound to the rule of law than when he or she found it,” the senators wrote.
“We call on all incumbent senators, regardless of bloc or affiliation, to de-escalate public rhetoric that demeans the Senate and weakens confidence in it; to confine their disagreements to the floor and to the proper forums, where the arguments and the votes can be scrutinized by the public; and to prioritize the urgent work before the Senate (the economy, food and energy security, and justice) over internal maneuvering,” they added.
The former Senate leaders called on their colleagues to “resolve this crisis swiftly, within the bounds of the Constitution, the rules, and long-standing practice.”
“The country cannot afford an unstable Senate at a time of mounting economic pressures, security threats, and growing public distrust in institutions,” they said.
