Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has invited the minority senators to a meeting on Wednesday to address their doubts over the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon panel’s hearing on the flood control mess on Thursday, June 4.
Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday supported the call for the “independence” of institutions, initially made by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, following the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada on plunder charges.
Hindi na naman sumipot sa sesyon ng Senado ngayong Martes ang mga miyembro ng majority bloc na pinamumunuan ni Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. Habang kompleto naman ang 11 kasapi ng minority bloc ni Sen. Tito Sotto.
Ayon kay Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, kasapi ng minority bloc, ipinaalam ni Senate Secretary Jose Luis Montales sa kanilang kasapi ng minority bloc na hindi sisipot sa Senado ang majority bloc.
Minority senators on Tuesday called for the resignation of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano over the majority bloc's continued absence in the plenary sessions.
"Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano SHOULD RESIGN as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate," the senators said in a joint statement.
The members of the minority bloc faced the media with Senator Erwin Tulfo reading the statement.
They said what happened was "a clear abandonment of responsibility, a dereliction of duty, and a blatant disregard of the rules that govern this institution."
At least five generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have been affected by delays in their confirmation hearings amid tensions in the Senate, an official said Tuesday.
“It has come to our attention, meron nga po five na generals from the AFP who are affected po yung kanilang confirmation doon po sa schedule that would be given para po ma-confirm na sila,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said at a press briefing.
(It has come to our attention, there are five generals from the AFP whose schedule of confirmation are affected.)
Members of the majority bloc on Tuesday skipped the Senate session once again, according to Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Zubiri said Senate Secretary Jose Luis Montales informed the minority bloc that the majority would not attend the plenary session anew.
"Tumawag daw si Alan [Cayetano], di raw sila darating (Cayetano called and said they will not come)," he told reporters.
Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan confirmed that the Senate secretariat informed them of the majority senators' absence but did not provide any reason
Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Tuesday said it was his personal decision to skip Monday’s plenary session following the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is facing plunder charges linked to alleged congressional insertions and kickbacks tied to anomalous flood control projects.
Interviewed on dzBB Super Radyo, Marcoleta said he opted not to attend the plenary session after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla allegedly reneged on an understanding that Estrada would be escorted outside Senate premises before being arrested.
Marcoleta also claimed that Remulla raised his voice at Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano during the commotion.
Malacañang on Tuesday said the weeks-long altercations in the Senate may affect the passage of the priority measures of the Marcos administration before the sine die adjournment of the first regular session of the 20th Congress this week.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said that it is the public that will suffer if the Senate drama continues and the passage of the priority bills will get impeded.
“Sa ngayon alam naman po natin kung ano ‘yung priority bills—hindi lang dalawa, hindi lang isa, hindi lang tatlo. Marami po. Pero kung ganito po nangyayari sa Senado, mahihirapan po talaga…hindi lamang ang Pangulo, kung hindi ang taumbayan,” Castro said.
(We know what the priority bills are—it’s not just two, one, or three. There are many. But if this is what is happening in the Senate, it will be really difficult…not just for the President, but for the people.)
Malacañang on Tuesday said there was no obstruction of justice on the part of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano despite his tense exchange with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla during the serving of an arrest warrant against Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the remark as she clarified that Estrada was arrested by authorities and did not voluntarily surrender.
“Hindi naman siya obstruction of justice. ’Di naman niya itinago,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.
(There’s no obstruction of justice. He did not hide Estrada.)
Senator Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday described the Senate majority bloc's absence at the plenary session as a form of "boycott" after Senator Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for plunder charges.
"Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw, boycott ang session kahapon dahil sa sama ng loob nila na hinuli si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada," Tulfo said in an interview on Unang Balita.
(It's clear as day that they boycotted the session because of Estrada's arrest.)
"Naiintindihan ko ang bugso ng damdamin nila pero paano naman ang taumbayan?... Hindi naman kami binayaran para mag-absent... Hindi rin kami binayaran para makiisa sa kasamahan namin na kinulong. Binayaran kami at binoto para magtrabaho at gumawa ng panukalang batas," he added.
(I understand their emotions are heightened, but what about the public? We were not paid to be absent. We were not paid to support our colleague who was arrested. We are paid and elected to legislate laws.)
GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
