The new majority party must find another member of parliament to end the leadership dispute
By Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel again Erika Mae P. Sinaking, A reporter
A NEW GROUP of 12 senators must find one more member to fully resolve the leadership dispute and end uncertainty about who is really in charge of the case, analysts said Thursday.
“Getting the support of one or two more senators will remove any confusion about where the majority stands and can effectively end the leadership dispute,” said Arjan P. Aguirre, a political science lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University, in a Facebook interview.
He added that the minority group’s refusal to agree to a leadership change on June 3 shows an attempt to maintain power over the chamber.
Professor of political science at the University of the East Eric Daniel C. de Torres, likewise, said that the power struggle between the two organizations will continue to disrupt the legislative agenda of the chamber if the dispute is not resolved.
“I think, for the legitimacy of what happened yesterday, they really need 13 and get one more from Cayetano’s side, otherwise this would be a big challenge,” he said via Messenger.
The senators on Wednesday announced the number of 12 after Senator Francis Joseph G. Escudero broke the deadlock at 11:11, allowing them to elect Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian as president pro tempore of the Senate and acting president of the Senate. The Senate needs thirteen votes to elect a new Senate leader.
Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano refused to acknowledge the change of leadership, calling it an “illegal coup” and described himself as “the legitimate, legal, moral president of the Senate.”
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), in a statement on Thursday, said that the session of June 3, which was held with a quorum based on the 22 members available, is active since both Senators Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa and Jose “Jinggoy” P. Ejercito Estrada, Jr. are considered not to be in a position to reach the Senate.
“Excluding them, the total number of senators considered to be present was twenty-two (22). Therefore, twelve (12) Senators constitute the majority of those available, thereby creating a valid quorum for the Senate to carry out its official work,” said the IBP.
The IBP concluded that the actions, decisions and decisions made by the chamber on Wednesday are legal based on the doctrine of Avelino.
According to legal expert Michael Henry LI. Yusingco, a fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, the case of Avelino v. Cuenco mentioned by the new majority group remains the existing rule of forming a quorum, but Mr. Cayetano may propose a quorum count at the Supreme Court.
He explained that a quorum based on 23 members is acceptable since Mr. Estrada is incarcerated, but noted that a quorum based on 22 senators may be discussed assuming that Mr. dela Rosa is perfect.
“He [dela Rosa] he can still be there if he wants,” said Mr. Yusingco in a Facebook interview. “The new set is enjoying the consideration of normality because of Avelino. But there is a chance to bring it to the SC (Supreme Court).”
‘CAUSES CONFUSION’
Lawmakers led by Cayetano refused to accept the coup, Senator Pilar Juliana “Pia” S. Cayetano wanted to order the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) on Thursday against Mr. Gatchalian.
“The committee’s assignments were declared vacant and the very chairman of this committee, the Blue Ribbon Committee, was allegedly replaced,” he said, calling the move “illegal.”
The resource people, including 18 suspected former marines who said they delivered bags of money to former Representative Elizaldy S. Co regarding flood control, entered the Senate premises after Ms. Cayetano registered them as guests, allowing the hearing to proceed.
Senator Vicente C. Sotto III, in a press release, objected to the conduct of the BRC hearing, noting that it is against the Rules of the Senate and is considered an illegal meeting.
“What we are seeing is a power grab dressed as ‘questioning’ and ‘oversight’,” he said. “It is nothing more than a self-serving spectacle aimed at holding on to positions that have been lost in the legal and constitutional reorganization of the Senate.”
Edmund S. Tayao, president and CEO of Political Economic Elemental Researchers and Strategists, said this shows the Cayetano group’s intention to “create confusion.”
“With this happening, [it] it seems like they’re about to take over,” he said over a Facebook Messenger chat, noting that resolving the dispute could be tricky.
SPECIAL SESSION
Meanwhile, Mr. Gatchalian on Thursday said they are discussing the possibility of having a special session to deal with the pending bills blocked by the two-day boycott led by Mr. Cayetano, including the anti-hospital confinement policies and confirmation of the promotion of five retired generals.
“There are many pending laws, such as the hospital confinement laws, the confirmation of five generals, and other bills. So, what we want is to go back to work,” said Mr. Gatchalian at a press conference.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is willing to call a special session of Congress if the new leadership of the Senate formally requests it, Malacañang said Thursday.
The administration wants to minimize potential delays in the legislative process caused by the ongoing Senate leadership dispute, Palace Press Secretary Clarissa A. Castro said at a press conference.
“Yes, the President is inclined to accept the formal request for a special session,” said Ms. Castro.
“Because if many things are delayed because of these things that are happening now, the President does not want the work of the Senate to be blocked, as long as the official request includes reasonable reasons for calling a special session,” he said.
The palace officially recognized the leadership of Mr. Gatchalian as acting Senate president shortly after his election.
Mrs. Castro said this recognition is based on the administration’s adherence to the rule of law and the principle of majority rule, similarly citing the 1949 Supreme Court case Avelino vs. Cuenco. The palace noted that according to this example, a majority of the known basic number of senators is sufficient to form a quorum and conduct business.
“Any message [Gatchalian] we provide for the Executive Council, that’s what we will see,” said Ms. Castro.
Despite the structural conflict in the upper chamber, where competing camps are seeking the position of Senate president, the Palace maintains that it is not for the Executive branch to resolve the internal problems of the parliament.
When asked about the potential impact of this conflict on the President’s upcoming State of the Union Address, Mrs. Castro said key credit interventions could be affected.
“It may be affected, but the President is still focused on his goals and the bills he wants to push to the people,” he said.
The palace official also addressed concerns about the impact of political instability on the country’s international image, noting that continued “political noise” and discord could have a negative impact on global perceptions of the Philippines.
This noise has even been cited as something that could affect the country’s global standing and its bids for seats in the world.
The Palace urged the lawmakers to speed up the important bills to preserve the confidence of the investors and protect the interests of the economy and the country.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved the Anti-Political Dynasty bill on its third and final reading – the first time in more than three decades that such a bill has passed the lower chamber.
The bill must now be referred to the Senate for review and approval before being sent to Mr. Marcos to sign.
“Let’s first see what their special request is, because what the President wants right now – this is one of his most important pieces of legislation, a bill against political monarchy – he really wants this passed,” he said.
