01/06/2026
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ
In an ideal world, the Philippine Senate would be a chamber that commands respect. Itโs supposed to be a haven of high-level lawmaking where meaningful debates on decision-making would take place. Senators are elected to the highest legislative body in the service of the Filipino people. Except, itโs far from what it's supposed to be.
Over the past years, the Philippine Senate has been subjected to drama after drama that many Filipinos had to live by while waiting for any semblance of concrete action. However, a recent bombshell had entered the villa โ a coup, seemingly orchestrated by the โDuterte Blocโ, to reinstate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President, ousting the then Senate President Tito Sotto.
The following days after that can only be described as akin to a reality show: heated arguments, assertions, and an entire cast of senators walking out of the Senate halls. This is not what the Filipino people wanted to see.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐พ๐ค๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐
In a seemingly orchestrated move, Senator Joel Villanueva made a motion to clear all leadership seats in the Senate, which then passed, after which Cayetano and Sotto were nominated. The voting ended with 13 โ 9 in favor of Cayetano. With Batoโs sudden guest appearance after a six-month hiatus, the division of the house was secured for the side of Cayetano and his allies.
Bato was under the Senateโs custody for a few days and was able to escape yet again. This happened just a few hours after a suspended Senate Sergeant at Arms triggered a shootout between them and the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) agents looking to arrest the senator under the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
This action grew even more suspicious as this election happened shortly after the House Panel approved the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, which Cayetano and his allies were also supporting. At this point, one would begin to ask, where do their loyalties align?
๐ผ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ช๐ก๐๐จ
With the election coming to fruition, the Senate majority is now composed of Cayetano and his cohorts. And almost immediately after taking a seat, majority member Senator Rodante Marcoleta motioned to amend Rule 14, Section 41 of the Rules of the Senate, which enables the lawmakers who arenโt physically present in the Senate to be able to take part in the plenary sessions via remote means.
This is after Batoโs escape. So, if it were to succeed, a running fugitive, who shouldnโt even be able to participate in a hearing that requires all 24 active senators to be actually present, would still be able to have a say in the Senateโs actions and deliberations moving forward. This means major national decisions, quorums, and even talks of impeachment. And it is not helping the case of the minority bloc, which has just been steamrolled by the majorityโs sudden coup.
However, a similar case has happened in the past, as current House Representative Lila De Lima was also pushed to a possible remote participation in plenary sessions through the minority blocโs resolution due to her detainment in 2017. But even during the Covid 19 pandemic, when this amendment actually occurred, she was never able to participate in the sessions.
Marcoletaโs ploy is a direct risk to the power that oneโs actual presence can hold. It weakens the authority of the Senate, which relies on real-time deliberation and discussions inside the chamber. And amending the rule once again so that a fugitive may be able to secure the majorityโs decisions is an entirely different story.
๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ข๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ
As if the drama werenโt โdramaticโ enough, SP Cayetano began reorganizing the committee. Now, with every senator from his bloc holding the vice chairpersonship and membership of committees such as Technical and Vocational Education, Basic Education, Culture and Arts, and Public Order.
Most notable being Senator Robin Padillaโs placement as the Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education. This was met with outrage among netizens, as Padilla is known for his lack of pertinence in education, while other senators were just as qualified. He also infamously claimed that the younger generation is โweakโ.
It really begs the question as to what they are actually planning, taking so many seats in these committees. Itโs as if theyโre only doing this as a political strategy rather than it being merit-based. Although the Senate President has prepared to offer chairpersonship to those in the minority, it becomes doubtful when we consider the fact that this only came up right after securing these spots for themselves, in under a month of being in the seat of power, no less.
Therefore, the Minority blocโs recent walkout from the Senate was not a surprising reaction to what has been a dominating performance by Senate.
๐จ Ll
โ๐ป Enceladus
๐ป Rozelle Catanio
