By staging a walkout Tuesday evening, the Senate’s “Solid Bloc 11” minority bloc showed that retreat can mean victory, especially when the rules are on our side, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson also called out at least one senator for showing a condescending attitude towards one of his fellow minority bloc members, Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
“Senate minority walkout: we demonstrated how to score a victory by retreating. They may have superior numbers but we have the rules on our side,” he said on X.
“When they in the majority play dirty, we in the minority will play it smart,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: Nasa Panig Natin ng Senado ang mga Patakaran
In a condescending tone, a colleague, who is a lawyer took issue with Sen Hontiveros’ lack of “legal background”. I have a simple message — it’s the RULES stupid!
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) May 26, 2026
On Tuesday evening, Lacson and fellow minority senators questioned the majority bloc’s move to tackle and vote in plenary the motion of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta allowing online participation in Senate proceedings.
Lacson pointed out that since Marcoleta’s May 11 motion was already referred to the Committee on Rules, Rule 24 – and not Rule 136 – of the Rules of the Senate, where “the committees shall hold meetings to discuss, decide and submit a report on all matters transmitted to them” applies.
He added that while the said motion was referred to the Committee on Rules, the committee has no chairman or members as all positions in the Senate were deemed vacant in the wake of the May 11 leadership change.
The minority bloc staged a walkout after the majority insisted on pushing through with the motion.
Meanwhile, Lacson scored Marcoleta for taking issue with Hontiveros’ supposed lack of legal background, when the issue at hand had to do with the Senate’s rules, as Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III pointed out to Marcoleta.
“In a condescending tone, a colleague, who is a lawyer, took issue with Sen Hontiveros’ lack of ‘legal background.’ I have a simple message — it’s the RULES, stupid!” Lacson said.
In a condescending tone, a colleague, who is a lawyer took issue with Sen Hontiveros’ lack of “legal background”. I have a simple message — it’s the RULES stupid!
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) May 26, 2026
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Lacson: Nasa Panig Natin ng Senado ang mga Patakaran
Sa pag-walkout nito nitong Martes ng gabi, ipinakita ng “Solid Bloc 11” minority bloc ng Senado na maaaring maging tagumpay ang pag-atras, lalo na kung nasa panig natin ang mga patakaran, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules.
Binoljak din ni Lacson ang isang senador dahil sa ipinakita nitong magaspang at mapangmataas na pagtrato sa kapwa niyang minority bloc member na si Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
“Senate minority walkout: we demonstrated how to score a victory by retreating. They may have superior numbers but we have the rules on our side,” saad niya sa X.
“When they in the majority play dirty, we in the minority will play it smart,” dagdag niya.
Noong Martes ng gabi, kinuwestiyon ni Lacson at ng kapwa niyang minority senators ang hakbang ng majority bloc na talakayin at pagbotohan sa plenaryo ang mosyon ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta na nagpapahintulot ng online participation sa mga pagdinig ng Senado.
Ipinunto ni Lacson na dahil na-refer na sa Committee on Rules ang mosyon ni Marcoleta noong Mayo 11, Rule 24 – at hindi Rule 136 – ng Rules of the Senate, kung saan ang mga komite ay magme-meeting, magpapasya at magre-report sa lahat na bagay na na-transmit dito – ang mananaig.
Dagdag niya, bagama’t ini-refer sa Committee on Rules ang mosyon ni Marcoleta noong Mayo 11, wala namang chairman o mga miyembro ang komite dahil itinuring na bakante ang lahat ng posisyon sa Senado kasunod ng pagbabago sa liderato.
Nag-walkout ang minority bloc matapos igiit ng majority bloc na ituloy ang mosyon.
Samantala, binatikos ni Lacson si Marcoleta dahil sa pagkuwestiyon nito sa umano’y kakulangan ni Hontiveros sa legal background, gayong ang usapin ay may kinalaman sa mga patakaran ng Senado — bagay na itinuro rin ni Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III kay Marcoleta.
“In a condescending tone, a colleague, who is a lawyer, took issue with Sen Hontiveros’ lack of ‘legal background.’ I have a simple message — it’s the RULES, stupid!” sabi ni Lacson.
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