Lacson hopes Senate leadership row resolved in special session

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday expressed hope that the issue of Senate leadership could be settled if a special session is called.

“Kailangan ma-resolve talaga ‘yung officially, formally ‘yung leadership kung sino ang Senate president, and I hope ma-resolve ‘yan in case magtawag ng special session,” Lacson told Super Radyo dzBB.

(“The Senate leadership should really be resolved officially and formally—who the Senate President is—and I hope that can be settled if a special session is called.”)

Lacson noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to call for a special session.

In a June 3 Senate session, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian was elected Senate President Pro Tempore and was later declared by senators present as acting Senate President after a quorum was established.

This followed the absence of the bloc led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who skipped sessions on Monday and Tuesday, saying the Senate’s independence was being challenged.

Cayetano, however, has maintained that he remains the “legitimate, legal, moral Senate President.”

Lacson said the Senate is prepared for any contingencies should disruptions arise in its premises.

“Nakahanda kami, at nakahanda kami sa mga contingency in case na mangyari ‘yun na manggulo siya (Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano). Mayroon na kaming pinag-uusapan,” he said.

(“We are ready, and we are prepared for contingencies in case he causes disruption. We have already discussed this.”)

He also urged Cayetano to take part in Senate discussions.

“‘Wag manggulo. Makilahok, tapos kung ano ipinaglalaban nila, sa floor namin pag-usapan, ‘wag sa Facebook kasi hindi namin siya made-debate sa Facebook. Ang pwede, sa plenaryo,” Lacson said.

(“Don’t cause disruption. Participate, and whatever they are fighting for, let’s discuss it on the Senate floor, not on Facebook, because we cannot debate there. We can only debate in the plenary.”)

GMA News Online has reached out to Cayetano for comment and will update this story once he issues a response.

In a separate statement, Senator Erwin Tulfo called for unity among senators in addressing public concerns.

“How do we resolve high prices of goods and low income? It is not anymore about supporting sides because all of us experience this brunt of difficulty in accessing even basic goods,” Tulfo said.

“Let us stop this division. The more we keep on talking about this situation, we further divide not only the Chamber, but the people,” he added.

Lacson also claimed that 18 alleged former Marines were being used to stage an incident in the Senate.

“The way I assess it, may plano ‘yan. Bakit mo papapasukin ‘yung 18? At bakit may mga tao sa labas? May plano. Ang sa tingin ko lang, ang gagawin nilang staging area ay ‘yung Senado. Baka magkagulo-gulo at baka sakaling mag-trigger—baka sakali,” he said in a dzBB interview.

(“My assessment is there is a plan. Why let the 18 in? And why are there people outside? There’s a plan. I think the staging area will be the Senate. It could get chaotic and possibly trigger something—just possibly.”)

During a consultative meeting on June 8 presided over by Senator Erwin Tulfo, the 18 supposed former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, who claimed they had delivered cash-filled suitcases to politicians and other personalities, did not participate in Senate proceedings despite being invited. They instead stayed at the office of Senator Robin Padilla.

The group earlier appeared at a meeting conducted by the Cayetano bloc but refused to testify before the Tulfo panel. —MCG, GMA News