Marcos backs Senate decisions under separation of powers — Palace

Malacañang on Wednesday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supports the decisions of the Senate out of respect for the constitutional principle of separation of powers, following remarks suggesting the Palace was backing the chamber's current majority bloc.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the statement when asked about Senator Pia Cayetano's remark during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, in which she suggested that her colleagues in the majority "call Malacañang" to convene a special session for the amendment of the Senate's impeachment rules, saying that "it seems that Malacañang is very supportive of the majority."

"Nagsalita po ang Pangulo... sinabi naman niya na kung anuman ang isinasagawa o nagiging desisyon sa Senado, ito naman ay kaniyang susuportahan at ang desisyon naman ang nagwawagi lagi ay kung anong sinasabi ng majority," Castro said.

(The President has spoken. He said that whatever process the Senate undertakes or whatever decision it reaches, he will support it, and ultimately, the decision that prevails is the one supported by the majority.)

"So, susuportahan po ng Pangulo, unang-una, because of the separation of powers. Susuportahan po ang ginagawa ng Senado as long as those activities are within the bounds of law," she added.

(First and foremost, the President will support the Senate because of the principle of separation of powers. He will support its actions as long as they are within the bounds of the law.)

During the second day of Duterte's impeachment trial on Tuesday, Cayetano said: "If His Honor will insist that we have to be in session to amend the impeachment rules, eh di tawagan niyo po ang Malacañang."

(If His Honor insists that we have to be in session to amend the impeachment rules, then call Malacañang.)

She later added: "Ito importante ito, 'di ba? Eh di kung ipipilit ninyo na 'yang impeachment amendment na 'yan kailangan gawin in special session, eh di magpatawag tayo ng special session. Mukhang very supportive naman ang Malacañang sa majority."

(This is important, isn't it? So if you insist that the amendment to the impeachment rules has to be done in a special session, then let us call for one. It seems Malacañang is very supportive of the majority.)

Under the Constitution, only the President may call Congress into a special session during its sine die adjournment.

Castro, however, stressed that the President's support for Senate decisions does not extend to actions that violate the law.

She cited as examples a hypothetical "lock-and-load" order or any move to help Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa evade arrest should an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court be enforced.

"Mga gawain marahil ng mayorya pero hindi po iyan sasang-ayunan ng Pangulo," Castro said.

(Those may be actions supported by the majority, but the President will not agree with them.)

The Palace official also recalled that similar incidents occurred under the Senate majority led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Earlier, Castro expressed concern over Pia Cayetano's health, a remark that appeared to allude to the senator's earlier complaint that none of her colleagues had checked on her following the shooting incident at the Senate on May 13.

"Unang-una, gusto po nating kumustahin si Senator Pia Cayetano. Kumusta na po ba, Senator Pia Cayetano? Dahil sa tuwing nagsasalita siya, very recently ay lagi siyang parang hinihingal," she said.

(First of all, we'd like to ask how Senator Pia Cayetano is doing. How are you, Senator? Because whenever she speaks recently, she always seems to be out of breath.) — MCG, GMA News