After Marcos' call for special session, Palace says it's now up to senators to follow through

After President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s earlier call for Congress to convene a special session on Wednesday, June 17, Malacañang said it is now up to the senators to follow through amid the ongoing leadership row in the Senate.

“Sa ngayon hindi natin alam kung ano ang tunay na sitwasyon sa Senado. Pero of course, ang gusto ng Pangulo ay magkaroon ng kaayusan sa Senado dahil kailangan talaga silang mag-trabaho,” said Palace Press Officer Claire Castro in a press briefing.

(As of now, we do not know the real situation in the Senate. But of course, what the President wants is for order to be maintained in the Senate because they really need to get to work.)

“So nasa kanilang kamay ‘yan. Sa ngayon po, ang obligasyon ng Pangulo ay ginawa niya, nagpatawag siya ng isang special session, at nasa kamay na po ito ng mga senador kung kayo rin po ay tutugon sa inyong obligasyon,” she added.

(So that is in their hands. For now, the President has fulfilled his obligation by calling for a special session, and it is now up to the senators whether they will also respond to their own obligation.)

On Monday, Marcos issued Proclamation 1318 urging Congress to convene a special session amid its sine die adjournment to act on priority legislation and appointments.

The Senate remains divided by a leadership dispute between the bloc led by Senate President Pro Tempore and Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and the other by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

Previously, Cayetano proposed a power-sharing arrangement to keep Senate operations running smoothly, but Gatchalian turned this down.

Gatchalian also said the Senate does not recognize the statements made by the 18 individuals claiming to be former members of the Philippine Marines in an earlier hearing.

He noted that the gathering should not be treated as an official hearing covered by parliamentary immunity.

Castro pointed out that government officials must serve the people and not for power.

“Sa gitna ng mga hamon sa loob at labas ng bansa na sumusubok sa katatagan ng taong bayan, hindi ito ang tamang panahon para magkawatak-watak ang pwersa ng Kongreso, na dapat sana ay magsisilbing lakas ng sambayanang Pilipino sa mga ganitong pagkakataon,” she said.

(Amidst the challenges inside and outside the country that test the resilience of our citizens, this is not the right time for the forces of Congress to be divided – an institution that should otherwise serve as the strength of the Filipino nation during times like this.)

“Naniniwala din ang Pangulo na taong bayan ang dapat sentro ng paninilbihan ng mga lingkod bayan, hindi ang kapangyarihan ng mga pulitikong ganid sa posisyon na sunud-sunuran sa kapangyarihan,” she added.

(The President also believes that the public should be the center of service for public servants, not the power of politicians who are greedy for position and subservient to authority.)

‘Dirty tricks’

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who is part of the Gatchalian bloc, earlier said they are ready for possible “dirty tricks” that Cayetano might employ during the special session on Wednesday.

Castro said the public is aware of Cayetano’s history of holding on to power during his stint as Speaker.

“Kung handa po sila sa dirty tricks ni Alan Cayetano, magandang balita ‘yan dahil siguro nakikita natin, even before, kung ano ba talaga ‘yung mga naging aksyon si Senator Alan Cayetano,” she said.

(If they are ready for the dirty tricks of Alan Cayetano, that is good news because perhaps we can see, even before, what the actions of Senator Alan Cayetano have truly been.)

“Hindi lang dito sa Senado, kundi pati sa House of Representatives kung saan hindi niya binatawan agad-agad ang posisyon bilang House Speaker kahit may term-sharing agreement.”

(Not only here in the Senate, but also in the House of Representatives where he did not immediately let go of the House Speaker position despite a term-sharing agreement.) — JMA, GMA News