MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday reiterated that it recognized Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the Senate's legitimate acting leader, noting that his election as Senate president pro tempore was done within the bounds of the law.
“The Palace recognizes the leadership of acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said in Filipino at a Palace briefing, in response to a query on which faction the executive branch would recognize as far as legislative coordination is concerned.
She cited the “Avelino vs Cuenco” case of 1949, the same used by the Gatchalian-led “new majority” over the “old majority” headed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as the legal basis for the recognition.
“The executive believes in the rule of law, and the decisions of the Supreme Court. It is clear that the ones who declared all the elected positions in the senate vacant are 12 with a recognized base number of 22 because Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. (Ronald) Bato (Dela Rosa) are beyond coercive reach. The same situation happened in 2015 in the Senate led by Sen. (Franklin) Drilon, when declared that there is a quorum of 12 senators, Sen. Alan and Sen. Pia (Cayetano) were there and they didn't even question or oppose it,” Castro said.
Cayetano tagged the change in leadership as an “illegal coup d’etat.”
The Palace, Castro said, urged the squabbling senators to “sort it out” so as not to further derail work in the chamber.
“They should settle any issues involving the Senate. But as far as the Palace is concerned, we have recognized the leadership of acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. So, whatever message he gives to the executive, that's what we will recognize,” she said.
