The no-show of the majority bloc in Monday’s Senate session sought to hold legislation hostage over the arrest of Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada – but will not solve anything, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.
Lacson said what happened Monday was not a case of standing up for the Senate’s independence but plain and simple dereliction of duty by the majority bloc led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
“Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law. Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage,” he said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Pag-Absent ng Majority sa Sesyon, Balak Gawing Hostage ang Legislation
Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law.
Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage.— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) June 1, 2026
On Monday, the majority bloc members did not attend Monday’s regular session. The minority bloc said this was not about the Senate’s independence but about the majority’s boycott of duty.
“Let us call this for what it is: the claim that this is about Senate independence is false, because what happened today was about the rule of law, public accountability and a lawful process before the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan that no senator, no bloc and no presiding officer controls. This is a boycott because of the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and the public should not be asked to believe another convenient line from a leadership that has repeatedly twisted the truth,” it said.
Before the majority’s absence from the session, Cayetano tried but failed to prevent the arrest of Sen. Estrada, when police arrived to implement the Sandiganbayan’s arrest order against him.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla implemented the warrant despite the confrontation with Cayetano, who claimed that during the time of Senate President Jovito Salonga, he “protected” then Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.
Meanwhile, Lacson said the arrest of Estrada is a step toward serving justice, either to the thousands of flood victims or Sen. Estrada, “since both parties will finally have their day in court after a long wait.”
Lacson also reiterated his wish for the Senate to recover its integrity, dignity, reputation, and the public trust and confidence it once enjoyed.
“My only birthday wish is for the Senate to recover what is left of its integrity, dignity and reputation, but most of all, the public trust and confidence that our predecessors used to enjoy,” he said on X Monday.
The day isn’t over yet, but to all those who have already greeted me on my birthday, let me express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the beautiful, encouraging words that you sent.
That said, this is not a day to celebrate as far the Senate is concerned.
While the…
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) June 1, 2026
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Lacson: Pag-Absent ng Majority sa Sesyon, Balak Gawing Hostage ang Legislation
Ang pagliban ng majority bloc sa sesyon ng Senado noong Lunes ay isang tangkang gawing “hostage” ang trabaho ng lehislatura dahil sa pag-aresto kay Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, ngunit wala naman itong malulutas, ani Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes.
Giit ni Lacson, ang nangyari noong Lunes ay hindi “pagtindig” para sa kasarinlan ng Senado kundi pagtalikod sa tungkulin ng majority bloc sa pangunguna ni Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
“Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law. Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage,” ani Lacson sa X.
Nitong Lunes, hindi siniputan ng majority bloc ang regular session ng Senado. Ayon sa minority bloc, ito ay hindi tungkol sa kasarinlan ng Senado kundi sa pag-boycott ng majority sa tungkulin nito.
“Let us call this for what it is: the claim that this is about Senate independence is false, because what happened today was about the rule of law, public accountability and a lawful process before the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan that no senator, no bloc and no presiding officer controls. This is a boycott because of the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and the public should not be asked to believe another convenient line from a leadership that has repeatedly twisted the truth,” ayon sa pahayag.
Bago nag-boycott ang majority sa sesyon nitong Lunes, tinangka ngunit nabigong pigilan ni Cayetano ang pag-aresto kay Sen. Estrada nang dumating ang pulisya upang ipatupad ang arrest order ng Sandiganbayan laban dito.
Ipinatupad ni Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla ang warrant sa kabila ng komprontasyon kay Cayetano, na nagsabing noong panahon ni dating Senate President Jovito Salonga ay “protected” umano nito si noo’y Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na ang pag-aresto kay Estrada ay isang hakbang tungo sa pagbibigay ng hustisya – maging para sa libu-libong biktima ng baha o kay Sen. Estrada – “since both parties will finally have their day in court after a long wait.”
Idiniin muli ni Lacson ang kanyang hangarin na maibalik ng Senado ang integridad, dignidad, reputasyon, at tiwala at kumpiyansa ng publiko na minsang tinamasa nito.
“My only birthday wish is for the Senate to recover what is left of its integrity, dignity and reputation, but most of all, the public trust and confidence that our predecessors used to enjoy,” aniya sa X nitong Lunes.
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