Disgraced ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano does not have the decency or respect for the rule of law like former Senate President Jose Avelino to resolve his dispute with the new Senate leadership through the Supreme Court, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said that while Avelino filed a petition with the Supreme Court to settle a leadership row with Mariano Cuenco, Cayetano resorted to playing dirty.
“Thank you Philstar for plainly explaining all the similarities in the two Senate controversies; the only difference being – Avelino brought his case to the Supreme Court. Cayetano does not have Avelino’s decency and respect for the same rule of law,” he said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Cayetano, Hindi Disente at Walang Paggalang sa Rule of Law Tulad ni Avelino Para Hayaan ang SC na Lutasin ang Senate Leadership Issue
He was referring to a Philstar.com article comparing the Senate leadership change last June 3, and the events on Feb. 18, 1949 that led to the replacement of then Senate President Avelino.
In 1949, Avelino and his allies used dilatory tactics to prevent Sen. Lorenzo Tanada from delivering a privilege speech presenting charges against Avelino. Avelino banged the gavel and left the hall, but the 12 remaining senators continued the session and designated Cuenco to preside.
The senators also passed a resolution declaring the Senate President position vacant, and elected Cuenco as acting Senate president.
Last June 3, 12 senators – the 11 members of the then minority, plus Sen. Francis Escudero – convened amid a Cayetano-led boycott by the then majority.
The new majority, which elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President, cited the Supreme Court’s Avelino v Cuenco ruling in maintaining that there was a quorum last June 3.
Despite the leadership change, Cayetano insisted he was still Senate President and showed up with some of his followers last Thursday – a day after the Senate had adjourned sine die – and conducted what they claimed was a committee hearing.
On Thursday, Lacson scored Cayetano for dragging his name in the bogus hearing, “without an iota of evidence or even a tiny bit of basis or reason except to pull me into a corruption controversy.”
“He exposed his loathsome behavior by using overstretched innuendos. He is disgusting,” Lacson said of Cayetano.
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Lacson: Cayetano, Hindi Disente at Walang Paggalang sa Rule of Law Tulad ni Avelino Para Hayaan ang SC na Lutasin ang Senate Leadership Issue
Walang disenteng pag-uugali o paggalang man sa rule of law ang disgrasyadong ex-Senate President na si Alan Peter Cayetano na tulad ni dating Senate President Jose Avelino upang idaan sa Korte Suprema ang kanyang alitan sa bagong pamunuan ng Senado, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Ani Lacson, habang naghain ng petisyon sa Korte Suprema si Avelino upang resolbahin ang sigalot sa pamumuno laban kay Mariano Cuenco, pinili ni Cayetano na gumamit ng maruming paraan.
“Thank you Philstar for plainly explaining all the similarities in the two Senate controversies; the only difference being – Avelino brought his case to the Supreme Court. Cayetano does not have Avelino’s decency and respect for the same rule of law,” aniya sa isang post sa X.
Tinutukoy niya ang isang artikulo ng Philstar.com na naghahambing sa pagbabago ng pamunuan ng Senado noong Hunyo 3 at sa mga pangyayari noong Pebrero 18, 1949 na humantong sa pagpapalit kay noon ay Senate President Avelino.
Noong 1949, gumamit si Avelino at ang kanyang mga kaalyado ng mga dilatory tactics upang pigilan si Sen. Lorenzo Tanada sa pagbigkas ng isang privilege speech na naglalaman ng mga paratang laban kay Avelino. Nilisan ni Avelino ang bulwagan, nguni’t ipinagpatuloy ng 12 natitirang senador ang sesyon at itinalaga si Cuenco bilang presiding officer.
Pinasa ng mga senador ang isang resolusyon na nagdedeklarang bakante ang posisyon ng Senate President, at inihalal si Cuenco bilang acting Senate President.
Noong Hunyo 3, 12 senador — ang 11 miyembro ng noo’y minorya at si Sen. Francis Escudero — ang nagpulong sa kabila ng boycott na pinangunahan ni Cayetano at ng noo’y mayorya.
Sa paggiit na may quorum noong Miyerkules, binanggit ng bagong mayorya, na naghalal kay Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian bilang Senate President Pro Tempore at acting Senate President, ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa kasong Avelino v. Cuenco.
Nguni’t pinilit ni Cayetano na siya pa rin ang Senate President at dumalo kasama ang ilan sa kanyang mga tagasuporta noong Huwebes — isang araw matapos mag-adjourn sine die ang Senado — at nagsagawa ng umano’y pagdinig ng komite.
Binatikos ni Lacson si Cayetano nitong Huwebes dahil sa pagdadawit sa kanyang pangalan sa aniya’y huwad na pagdinig, “without an iota of evidence or even a tiny bit of basis or reason except to pull me into a corruption controversy.”
“He exposed his loathsome behavior by using overstretched innuendos. He is disgusting,” sabi ni Lacson tungkol kay Cayetano.
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