Escudero surprise Senate appearance prompts leadership shake-up

Senator Chiz Escudero made a surprise appearance in the plenary session on Wednesday, June 3. 

Escudero was welcomed with applause from those inside the plenary hall. His attendance allowed the Senate to finally convene after two straight days of failed sessions due to lack of quorum, following the absence of members of the bloc led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

In a statement, Escudero said the ongoing standoff in the Senate “is untenable and unacceptable.”

“When political divisions become too extreme and obstruct our mandate, we must all have the courage to pause, gain perspective, reflect, consider, and realize that we should put the Senate — as the institution that we serve — above ourselves,” Escudero said.

Since Monday, only the 11-member minority bloc had been showing up at the plenary. Without a quorum — or enough senators present — the chamber cannot conduct official business.

Escudero’s arrival brought the number of senators present to 12. But is that enough?

Normally, no. The Senate needs 13 members to form a quorum.

However, senators cited the Supreme Court ruling on Avelino vs Cuenco, which recognized the principle that a quorum of 12 is determined based on the number of members who are legally able to discharge the functions of the Senate.

Senator Bato dela Rosa is facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, while Senator Jinggoy Estrada is detained over graft and plunder cases. Both of them are members of the Cayetano bloc.

With both senators unavailable to attend physically, the Senate argued that the effective number of senators who can participate is now 22, making 12 enough under the doctrine.

So where does Escudero stand?

He did not exactly pick a side.

“I am not taking sides. I am taking a stand for the Senate. My allegiance is not to any faction, personality, group, or alliance. This is not about loyalty, betrayal, or choosing one group over the other — this is about duty,” Escudero said.

“Hindi ito usaping pampulitika. Wala akong sinasamahan o iniiwanang grupo, pangkat, o paksyon. Hindi ko sinasabi na may mali o tama o may nagkulang o nagmalabis kaninuman. Ngunit hindi puwedeng manatili tayo sa ganitong sitwasyon. Ang naaapektuhan na ay ang mismong kakayahan ng Senado na gampanan ang kaniyang tungkulin sa bayan,” he added.

(This is not a political matter. I am not joining or leaving any group, bloc, or faction. I am not saying that anyone is right or wrong, or that anyone has failed or gone too far. But we cannot remain in this situation. What is being affected now is the Senate’s very ability to fulfill its duty to the people.)

Escudero’s presence gave the minority bloc — which now calls itself the “new majority” — enough numbers to declare the Senate presidency vacant and elect Senator Win Gatchalian as the new Senate President Pro Tempore.

The new majority also moved to take control of key Senate committees.

Cayetano, however, does not recognize the session held on Wednesday afternoon, questioning its legality. He maintained that he remains the “legitimate” and “moral” Senate president.

Cayetano also insisted that the scheduled blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, June 4, would push through. But newly elected blue ribbon chairperson Erwin Tulfo said otherwise, arguing that the hearing cannot proceed because he is now the committee’s chair. Tulfo said his probe into flood control corruption will be held on June 8.

During the session on Wednesday, Gatchalian already adjourned the Senate sine die. Senate committees can, however, still conduct hearings after adjourning sine die, as long as a plenary motion or resolution granted them the authority to do so before the session closed.

“As Senate President, I still have the authority over the Senate premises. Do not padlock the Senate,” Cayetano said in a Facebook Live broadcast.

Judging from the competing claims over leadership and committee control, the conflict in the Senate appears far from over. – Rappler.com