Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday said the Senate majority “scampered” from chamber rules last May 26, triggering a walkout before trying to shift the blame to the minority.
Lacson pushed back against Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s claim that the minority “scampered out of the session hall,” saying they walked out because the majority had “scampered out of our rules.”
“‘The minority group scampered out of the session hall.’ — SP Cayetano
‘No, Mr. Senate President, we quietly walked out because you scampered out of our rules and wanted to divide the house while we were still debating,'” Lacson said on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Senate Majority, at Hindi Minority, ang Nag-‘Scamper’ Noong Gabi ng Walkout
“The minority group scampered out of the session hall.” — SP Cayetano
“No, Mr. Senate President, we quietly walked out because you scampered out of our rules and wanted to divide the house while we were still debating”.— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) May 28, 2026
“Nag-scamper daw kami. Pangit pakinggan, para kaming bahag ang buntot lumabas ng plenaryo. Sila mag-scamper from the rules gusto nilang madaliin,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
During the Senate’s May 26 session, the majority bloc moved to tackle and vote in plenary a motion introduced by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to allow online participation in Senate proceedings.
Lacson said this runs contrary to the Rules of the Senate and the chamber’s committee system, as Section 24 of the Rules of the Senate – that the committees shall discuss, decide and submit a report on all matters referred to them – applies in the case of Marcoleta’s motion.
He noted the motion introduced last May 11 was already referred to the Committee on Rules, which remains unconstituted following a leadership change also last May 11.
Also, he said Section 136 cited by the Senate President – where the rules may be amended through a motion presented at least a day before consideration – does not apply because there was already a referral of the motion to the Committee on Rules.
When Cayetano insisted on dividing the house and putting the matter to a vote, the minority bloc members walked out, with minority leader Vicente Sotto III moving to adjourn the session for the day.
Cayetano then remarked that the minority members “scampered out and left the minority leader instead of discussing the rule.”
“Nandoon pa lang kami sa procedure pero gustong putulin ang debate at mag-divide the house papunta sa botohan e hindi pwede. Tackle muna namin ang procedure kasi mali ang invoke nilang rules (We were discussing procedures but they wanted to cut the debates and divide the house, but that cannot be. We should first tackle the procedure because they invoked the wrong rules),” Lacson said.
“Pwedeng amyendahan pero sundan natin ang procedure. Gusto niya amyendahan pero fastbreak… Kaya nga may committee system. Ang Kongreso di maka-function without committees (We can amend our rules but we must follow the procedure. They wanted to amend the rules fastbreak-style. And we have a committee system. Congress cannot function without the committees),” he added.
In the meantime, Lacson reiterated the minority will continue debating, asking questions, interpellating and introducing amendments to the move if the majority insists on it – and will not discount another walkout or taking the matter to the Supreme Court as a last resort.
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Lacson: Senate Majority, at Hindi Minority, ang Nag-‘Scamper’ Noong Gabi ng Walkout
Nag-“scamper” mula sa mga alituntunin ng Senado ang majority bloc noong Mayo 26, na naging dahilan ng walkout ng minority at kalaunan ay pagtatangkang ipasa sa kanila ang sisi, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Tinutulan ni Lacson ang pahayag ni Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano na ang minority ang nag-“scamper out” sa session hall, sabay giit na nag-walkout sila dahil ang majority ang nag-“scamper” sa Senate rules.
“’The minority group scampered out of the session hall.’ — SP Cayetano
‘No, Mr. Senate President, we quietly walked out because you scampered out of our rules and wanted to divide the house while we were still debating,’” ayon kay Lacson sa X.
“Nag-scamper daw kami. Pangit pakinggan, para kaming bahag ang buntot lumabas ng plenaryo. Sila mag-scamper from the rules gusto nilang madaliin,” dagdag niya sa panayam sa DZBB radio.
Sa sesyon ng Senado noong Mayo 26, tinangka ng majority bloc na talakayin at pagbotohan sa plenaryo ang mosyon ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta na magpapahintulot ng online participation sa mga pagdinig ng Senado.
Diin ni Lacson, taliwas ito sa Rules of the Senate at sa sistema ng mga komite ng Kapulungan, dahil ang Section 24 ng Rules of the Senate — na nagsasaad na ang mga komite ang tatalakay, magpapasya, at magsusumite ng ulat sa lahat ng mga isyung isinangguni sa kanila — ay angkop sa nasabing mosyon.
Binanggit niya na ang mosyon na inihain noong Mayo 11 ay isinangguni na sa Committee on Rules, na nananatiling hindi pa nabubuo matapos ang pagbabago sa liderato noong parehong petsa, dahil wala pang chairman at mga miyembro.
Dagdag niya, hindi angkop ang Section 136 na binanggit ng Senate President — kung saan maaaring amyendahan ang mga patakaran sa pamamagitan ng mosyon na inihain isang araw bago talakayin — dahil nauna nang isinangguni ang usapin sa Committee on Rules.
Nang igiit ni Cayetano ang pag-“divide the house” at pagbotohan sa isyu, nag-walkout ang mga miyembro ng minority bloc pwera kay Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III na nagmosyon na i-adjourn ang sesyon para sa araw na iyon.
Ayon kay Cayetano, ang mga miyembro ng minority ay “scampered out and left the minority leader instead of discussing the rule.”
“Nandoon pa lang kami sa procedure pero gustong putulin ang debate at mag-divide the house papunta sa botohan e hindi pwede. Tackle muna namin ang procedure kasi mali ang invoke nilang rules,” ani Lacson.
“Pwedeng amyendahan pero sundan natin ang procedure. Gusto niya amyendahan pero fastbreak… Kaya nga may committee system. Ang Kongreso di maka-function without committees,” dagdag niya.
Noong Huwebes, sinabi ni Lacson na magpapatuloy ang minority sa pagdedebate, pagtatanong, interpellation, at paghahain ng amendments kung igigiit ng majority ang panukala—at hindi rin isinasantabi ang panibagong walkout o pagdadala ng usapin sa Korte Suprema bilang huling hakbang.
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