The senators broke the deadlock, appointing Gatchalian as the acting president of the Senate

WITH a quorum of 12 members, the Senate finally convened on Wednesday, appointing Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian as its leader without Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano, who led a two-day boycott that left the chamber “on the brink of unconstitutionality.”

Senator Francis Joseph G. Escudero, who has been absent since Monday, broke the 11-11 deadlock after deciding to attend the last 20 days.^th The second regular session of Congress, which allows lawmakers to declare all seats vacant.

“The Senate has been adjourned and has not been able to continue in session for the past two days putting us on the verge of breaking the constitution, if we had not met today,” said Mr. Gatchalian told the conference after being appointed Senate president pro tempore.

“Therefore, without the appropriate adjournment and the continued absence of the former president of the Senate, the president pro tempore, and the members of the majority, we are forced to call the session to order.”

Bloc officials opted out of the scheduled sessions starting Monday, following Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada, Jr., voluntarily surrendering to the police, in connection with the extortion charges against him related to the flood control scam.

Mr. Gatchalian asserted that the move was legal, citing the Supreme Court’s 1949 decision in Avelino v. Cuenco, we consider 12 of the 23 members as a quorum. He cited another example, referring to the session of May 5, 2015, which declared a quorum based on 17 available senators and seven others without the power of the Senate.

Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri clarified during the meeting that Mr. Gatchalian will serve as acting Senate president in his place as Senate president pro tempore. The chamber needs at least 13 votes to elect a new Senate officer.

In another Facebook live broadcast, Mr. Cayetano expressed his disapproval of the leadership changes, calling the move an “illegal coup d’état.”

“This is an illegal coup that is accompanied by the repeal of our Constitution,” he said. “I am still the legitimate, lawful, and moral Senate president of the Republic of the Philippines.”

In separate statements, however, Malacañang and the House of Representatives both recognize and accept the leadership of Mr. Gatchalian.

“What happened in the Senate this afternoon is in accordance with the law and the rule of law,” Palace Press chief Clarissa A. Castro told reporters in Filipino. “The Palace respects and honors the decision of the new majority and the leadership of Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.”

Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, on the other hand, assured the new Senate leader that House prosecutors are ready for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio in July.

GET BACK TO WORK
This followed a call by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., urging the Senate to return to work as it questioned the court for suspending the legislative work amid problems surrounding the majority of lawmakers led by Cayetano.

He said the government must provide stability to the Filipino people amid the uncertainty brought about by the Iran war but the Senate’s situation is “an embarrassment to all that governance is concerned with.”

He said the Legislature is now “in a mess,” following the incidents that happened last month, including the change of leadership, shooting, the arrest of a lawmaker and the committee’s failure to hold a meeting for two days.

“We are trying to achieve some kind of stability so that people can continue with their lives, so that people can plan their future in advance, so that people can rely on government assistance in this critical time,” he told the media after the event in Manila City.

“We will not do that if the Legislature decides to stay home and have a holiday.”

Mr. Marcos, a former legislator, said he never imagined that events like this would happen “in the prestigious body of the Upper House.”

“How can we provide that assistance without proper support legislation?” he said.

He noted that the rules state that lawmakers must notify the other chamber three days before canceling a session.

“There has to be a very good reason to cancel a session,” he said. “I don’t think he’s going to drive the senator where he’s going. I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to cancel the session.”

ECONOMIC COSTS
Business groups have warned the country of the risk of losing investor momentum, as they urged senators to resume normal sessions.

President of the Management Association of the Philippines Donald Patrick L. Lim said there has been growing frustration and impatience among businessmen regarding the delay in the Senate proceedings.

“At a time when the country is facing slow economic growth, inflationary pressures, global uncertainty, and increasing competition from our ASEAN neighbors (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), many business leaders are asking why political conflicts continue to consume significant time and attention,” he said in a Viber message.

The Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) also urged the senators to resume their normal procedures and complete the organization of all standing committees needed to carry out legislative work.

It said the Senate’s constitutional duties to legislate, oversee, and discuss important national issues—cannot be fulfilled if the hearings are suspended.

“The costs of delay are real: government programs await enabling legislation, businesses postpone investments, communities remain in a precarious situation, and families continue to bear rising costs while needed change is stuck in a deadlock,” said FINEX.

Mr. Gatchalian, former chair of the finance committee, said the Senate spends P25 million a day on utilities and staff salaries, noting that the cancellation of the chamber session is a waste of taxpayers’ money.

“Every day the Senate can’t do its job is another day that millions of Filipinos continue to wait for action, leadership, and solutions that their government has chosen to provide,” said FINEX.

“The nation cannot move forward if one of the most important democratic institutions remains standing.” – Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel, Chloe Mari A. Hufana, again Beatriz Marie D. Cruz