Rodante Marcoleta to majority bloc members jumping ship: 'Worse than Judas'

Senator Rodante Marcoleta described any senator who would withdraw from the majority bloc as "worse than Judas" amid rumors of another leadership change is brewing in the Senate.

Marcoleta on Tuesday said this sentiment was even stressed by Senator Camille Villar, who was among the members of the Senate majority bloc present during the caucus that transpired on the night of the shooting incident inside the Senate premises last May 13.

"Mas masahol pa kay Judas, ang magju-Judas sa amin. Wala kaming pag-uusap. Sinabi ko lang sa grupo namin," he said.

(I told my group that anyone who would withdraw from our group, or would betray us, is worse than Judas.)

In Christianity, Judas Iscariot is one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is known in the Bible for betraying Jesus to the religious authorities for 30 pieces of silver in the Garden of Gethsemane, an act that led to Jesus eventually being crucified on the cross.

"Nalulungkot ako. Sabi ko bakit kaya nangyari sa bansa namin ito," the senator added.

(The incident saddens me. I was asking myself why did this happen to our country.)

In a surprise move on May 11, senators voted for a leadership change ahead of the possible transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte. With 13 votes, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was elected as the new Senate President, replacing Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.

Last week, several gunshots were fired inside the Senate building on Wednesday evening amid an ongoing lockdown, causing panic and alarm among people still inside the upper chamber’s premises.

The unprecedented incident occurred days after Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano took helm of the chamber and Senator Ronald “Bato” Rosa was still under the Senate’s protective custody.

"Gaano kayaman ang imagination ng isang tao na kami ang gagawa noon? In-extend namin ang caucus kasi tumawag ang House, totoo naman eh. Sinubmit nila ang Articles of Impeachment, nagb-briefing kami, hindi pa kami nangangahalahati, biglang may putukan," Marcoleta said.

(How rich is a person’s imagination to even accuse us of instigating this? We extended the caucus because the House called that they were submitting the Articles of Impeachment to us. We were not even halfway through the briefing when the gunshots erupted.)

"Hindi ako natakot, nalungkot ako para sa aking bansa. Kailangan ba mangyari yun?" he added.

(I wasn't scared. I felt sad for our country. Why did it have to happen?) —RF, GMA News