(UPDATE) THE 11-member Senate minority bloc sought the resignation of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano for dereliction of duty, after he led a boycott of Tuesday’s session, despite having two session days left before Congress adjourns sine die on June 6.
In a statement issued by the so-called “solid bloc,” 11 senators slammed Cayetano for telling his group mates — now down to 10 — to boycott Tuesday’s session.
"What happened today was a clear abandonment of responsibility, a dereliction of duty, and a blatant disregard of the rules that govern this institution, because the Senate cannot be made to stop working simply because its presiding officer refuses to lead," the minority said.
The minority bloc is composed of Sens. Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Francis Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
"Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano should resign as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate," the SB 11 said in a joint statement.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo challenged Cayetano to show up on Wednesday. Addressing Cayetano, Sen. Raffy said, "Kung matapang ka, pumasok ka bukas. Otherwise, duwag ka (If you're brave, report for work tomorrow. Otherwise, you're a coward)." Zubiri and Ejercito said there were members of Cayetano’s bloc who were unhappy with the boycott.
“Many members from the majority bloc were texting me, saying they really wanted to work. They can't understand why it led to this," Zubiri said.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo said all in Cayetano’s group were welcome to join the minority bloc except Cayetano.
“We invite all of you to join us. But Alan Peter, you just stay where you are,” he said in Filipino.
Pangilinan said, “I apologize to the Filipino people on behalf of the Senate that this is the way it is.” Sotto, the minority leader, said under the Senate rules, the senators should "meet at 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays." The minority group arrived on time for the 3 p.m. session and waited for the majority bloc to arrive. But by 3:30 p.m., the majority group was still nowhere in sight.
This prompted the minority to leave their seats and hold a brief meeting. They came out minutes later to issue a joint statement.
They noted that under Rule XIV, Sec. 41 of the Rules of the Senate, the Senate president may postpone the holding of the session "after consultation with the majority leader and the minority leader." "That rule was violated. This is not merely a procedural lapse — it is a direct violation of the rules of the Senate and a serious disrespect for the institution and the Filipino people," Sen. Erwin Tulfo said as he read the statement.
Lacson appealed to the majority bloc's "sense of duty and responsibility" to attend the session on Wednesday.
Hontiveros rejected Cayetano's call "to let the Senate go quiet" to preserve its independence. “The Senate is the voice of the people. Why does he want to gag it?” she said in Filipino.
"We appeal to all our colleagues: They should attend the session, it is our duty," Zubiri said.
Tuesday’s boycott was the second in a row in as many days. On Monday, members of the majority bloc did not show up for session after their colleague Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was arrested on a plunder charge.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo expressed disappointment over the "no-show" of the majority for the second time.
“It’s a waste of their salary. More than P300,000 (a month),” he said.
They were supposed to approve on third and final reading Senate Bill (SB) 2092 declaring Waling-Waling the national orchid of the Philippines; House Bill (HB) 6639 granting Philippine citizenship to basketball player Bennie Francois Boatwright III, and HB 6644 granting Philippine citizenship to wrestler Matthew James Ramos.
Minority Sens. Erwin Tulfo and Gatchalian were also scheduled to deliver privilege speeches.
Sen. Mark Villar was scheduled to question Sen. Robinhood Padilla on SB 1584 amending Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997. Both belong to the majority group.
Cayetano calls for boycott
Cayetano urged the minority bloc to unite in what he called a collective effort to safeguard the Senate's independence and integrity in light of increasing political pressure surrounding the chamber and its leadership.
Cayetano made this statement after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division's ordered Estrada’s arrest.
He said recent incidents involving majority bloc members raised alarms about the increasing political pressure on the institution.
In addition to Estrada, Cayetano pointed out that there have been threats of potential arrests against Sens. Francis Escudero, Rodante Marcoleta and Joel Villanueva.
“So I pose a question to you, not as the majority but on behalf of the chamber: will you support the Senate’s independence?” Cayetano said.
He also suggested that a “deliberate act” — the boycott — would permit the Senate to “go quiet” would be a symbolic protest against external interference.
But Lacson said the majority bloc's boycott of the Senate session on Monday sought to hold legislation hostage over the arrest of Estrada.
Lacson said what happened Monday was not a case of standing up for the Senate's independence but "plain and simple dereliction of duty” by the majority bloc led by Cayetano.
"Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law," Lacson wrote on X on Tuesday.
"Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage," he added.
Opposition party-list Akbayan denounced Cayetano and the majority bloc over their boycott of the chamber’s plenary session for the second straight day.
In a statement, Akbayan president Rafaela David said this move has “delayed crucial legislation and exposed the lengths to which Cayetano is willing to go to preserve their hold on power.” “Cayetano’s actions have earned him a new place in the Senate’s history. He is now remembered both as the Senate’s attacker and hijacker. He is hijacking and taking hostage an entire institution in a desperate bid to keep himself in power. Just as he clung to power during his controversial tenure as House speaker, he is now willing to immobilize the Senate itself rather than respect its democratic processes,” David said.
She added that the boycott “is an insult to the Senate and to the Filipino people.” “By deliberately refusing to attend the session, Cayetano has once again chosen selfish political interests over public service. Important measures are being delayed, urgent concerns remain unaddressed, and the Senate has been prevented from performing its constitutional duties, all because Cayetano is determined to keep himself in power,” the Akbayan president said.
Also on Tuesday, Vice President Sara Duterte accused the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of "protecting power" than serving the people by removing "any form of opposition" against the government.
Her statement comes after Estrada’s arrest and the Senate majority bloc’s boycott on Monday and Tuesday.
Cayetano engineered the ouster of Sotto by bringing in the fugitive Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), to cast the crucial vote. As Senate president, he then protected dela Rosa from arrest by giving him “protective custody” in the Senate. Two days later, dela Rosa slipped out of the Senate building after a shooting incident started by the Senate sergeant-at-arms.
The leadership change came as the Senate prepares to convene as an impeachment court to try Duterte. WITH ARIC JOHN SY CUA AND RED MENDOZA
