After joining the minority bloc’s calls for Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to step down from his post, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday appealed to the other members of the majority bloc to attend the Senate’s final session day on Wednesday out of a sense of duty.
Lacson said that while Cayetano’s situation is untenable due to his move to discourage other senators from attending sessions, the other majority bloc members could still choose differently.
“We appeal to the rest of the majority bloc. Huwag na si Senate President kasi mukhang untenable na si SP kasi siya yung nagsasabi sa mga kasamahan namin na huwag mag-attend ng session. So we now appeal to the rest of the members of the majority bloc. We appeal to their sense of duty, na sana mag attend sila ng session bukas (We appeal to the rest of the majority bloc to attend the Senate session Wednesday out of a sense of duty. We’re not appealing to the Senate President anymore since his situation has become untenable, as he discourages other senators from attending the session),” he said when the minority bloc fielded questions from the media Tuesday afternoon.
In Filipino: Lacson, Umapela sa Sense of Duty ng Majority Bloc Members na Dumalo sa Huling Araw ng Sesyon
“Ang pinoprotektahan lang yung Senate Presidency. Power. Position. Kaya nag-a-appeal kami sa kasamahan namin sa majority bloc. Ano bang prize para sa inyo? Sa tingin namin wala eh. Ang tingin namin nakikisama lang sila kay Senate President Cayetano (The Senate Presidency is the only thing being protected. Power. Position. So we appeal to our colleagues in the majority. What is the prize for you? We don’t think there’s any. And we believe the majority members are only going along with Senate President Cayetano),” he added.
Lacson said information relayed to him and fellow minority bloc senators showed Cayetano instructed the majority senators not to attend the session.
Earlier Tuesday, the minority bloc called for Cayetano’s resignation as Senate President after the majority skipped Tuesday’s session for the second straight day.
It said this violated Rule XIV, Sec. 41 of the Rules of the Senate, where the Senate President may postpone the holding of the session after consultation with the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader – “a direct violation of the Rules of the Senate and a serious disrespect for the institution and the Filipino people.”
The minority added that Cayetano “SHOULD RESIGN as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate anymore.”
Meanwhile, Lacson said the minority senators will be at the session hall on Wednesday because it is their duty. “We’ll be here because that’s our duty,” he said.
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Lacson, Umapela sa Sense of Duty ng Majority Bloc Members na Dumalo sa Huling Araw ng Sesyon
Matapos makiisa sa panawagan ng minority bloc na bumaba sa puwesto si Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, nanawagan nitong Martes si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa iba pang miyembro ng majority bloc na dumalo sa huling araw ng sesyon ng Senado sa Miyerkules bilang pagtupad sa kanilang tungkulin.
Ani Lacson, bagama’t tila hindi na katanggap-tanggap ang sitwasyon ni Cayetano dahil sa umano’y paghikayat nito sa ibang senador na huwag dumalo sa sesyon, maaari pa ring pumili ng ibang landas ang iba pang miyembro ng majority bloc.
“We appeal to the rest of the majority bloc. Huwag na si Senate President kasi mukhang untenable na si SP kasi siya yung nagsasabi sa mga kasamahan namin na huwag mag-attend ng session. So we now appeal to the rest of the members of the majority bloc. We appeal to their sense of duty, na sana mag attend sila ng session bukas,” aniya nang harapin ng minority bloc ang media nitong Martes ng hapon.
“Ang pinoprotektahan lang yung Senate Presidency. Power. Position. Kaya nag-a-appeal kami sa kasamahan namin sa majority bloc. Ano bang prize para sa inyo? Sa tingin namin wala eh. Ang tingin namin nakikisama lang sila kay Senate President Cayetano,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Lacson na ayon sa impormasyong nakarating sa kanya at sa kapwa niya minority bloc senators, inutusan umano ni Cayetano ang mga senador ng majority bloc na huwag dumalo sa sesyon.
Nitong Martes, nanawagan ang minority bloc sa pagbibitiw ni Cayetano bilang Senate President matapos muling hindi dumalo ang majority bloc sa sesyon sa ikalawang sunod na araw.
Ayon sa minority bloc, nilabag nito ang Rule XIV, Section 41 ng Rules of the Senate, kung saan nakasaad na maaari lamang ipagpaliban ng Senate President ang sesyon matapos kumonsulta sa Majority Leader at Minority Leader — isang “direct violation of the Rules of the Senate and a serious disrespect for the institution and the Filipino people.”
Dagdag pa ng minority bloc, dapat nang magbitiw si Cayetano dahil “SHOULD RESIGN as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate anymore.”
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na dadalo pa rin ang mga senador ng minority bloc sa session hall sa Miyerkules dahil tungkulin nila ito. “We’ll be here because that’s our duty,” aniya.
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