The Senate majority bloc led by Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian is ready for any dirty tricks that disgraced ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano may attempt during the Senate’s special session, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.
Lacson said that while everyone except Cayetano and a handful of his allies recognize Gatchalian as the Senate’s leader, Cayetano has shown he is capable of doing anything to preserve his “power.”
“Members of the majority bloc are ready with contingencies in case he makes a scene. We have discussed measures that I am not at liberty to divulge. I have emphasized to the majority bloc to not underestimate him because he is capable of dirty tricks. He doesn’t care about the institution, he only cares about himself,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Mayorya, Handa sa Anumang Maruming Balak ni Disgrasyadong Ex-SP Cayetano sa Senate Special Session
When asked about the possibility of Cayetano trying to seize the podium at the special session, Lacson said Cayetano is “capable” of doing that because “mahilig siya sa ganyan (he’s fond of doing that).”
Lacson said Cayetano is so obsessed with power that he is willing to ignore reality and create a spectacle, even though “practical reality” shows all relevant authorities and stakeholders have recognized Gatchalian’s authority.
Even some of his own allies in the now-minority bloc have not been quite vocal in supporting his claim to the Senate presidency, he said.
“He should wake up to reality. Even if he shouts he is still the Senate President, no one is following him. Not even his allies who have become quiet, perhaps because they realize that the fight is over and it’s pointless to insist. There is no permanent Senate President, but for all intents and purposes, he is not the Senate President,” he said.
Lacson reiterated that once the special session takes place, Cayetano should refrain from disrupting the proceedings, and join other senators in debating on the floor instead of on Facebook.
“Cayetano should not make a scene. All senators should take part in the special session. Cayetano should debate in plenary, not on Facebook,” he said.
‘All Senators Must Attend’
Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated that all senators must attend the special session as the special session seeks to resolve key measures and Commission on Appointments matters that were affected by the Cayetano-led boycott of Senate sessions last June 1 to 3.
Lacson said he “appreciates and admires” the stand of Sen. Joel Villanueva to attend the special session as a matter of his sacred duty, noting this was the same stand taken by Sen. Francis Escudero when he joined the 11 then-minority senators to constitute a quorum and pave the way for a leadership change last June 3.
“I just hope his colleagues in the Cayetano bloc have the same attitude,” he said.
Also, Lacson voiced hopes that the special session would finally end the Senate leadership issue, as he noted Cayetano’s desperation in clinging on to power.
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Lacson: Mayorya, Handa sa Anumang Maruming Balak ni Disgrasyadong Ex-SP Cayetano sa Senate Special Session
Handa ang majority bloc ng Senado na pinamumunuan ni Senate President Pro Tempore at acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian sa anumang maruming balak ni disgrasyadong ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano sa special session ng Senado, ani Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo.
Diin ni Lacson na habang kinikilala ng halos lahat – maliban kay Cayetano at iilang kaalyado nito – si Gatchalian bilang lider ng Senado, ipinakita na ni Cayetano na kaya niyang gawin ang kahit ano upang kumapit sa “pwesto.”
“Nakahanda kami sa mga contingencies in case mangyari yan na manggugulo siya. Meron kaming pinaguusapan, di ako at liberty to divulge. Pag naguusap kami sa majority bloc ngayon yan isa sa amin pinagusapan. Yan emphasize ko, huwag i-underestimate kasi capable ang tao na yan gumawa ng maski anong gulo. He doesn’t care about the institution, he only cares about himself,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa DZBB radio.
Nang tanungin tungkol sa posibilidad na agawin ni Cayetano ang podium sa espesyal na sesyon, sinabi ni Lacson na “capable” itong gawin ni Cayetano dahil “mahilig siya sa ganyan.”
Giit ni Lacson, labis ang pagkahumaling ni Cayetano sa kapangyarihan kaya handa itong balewalain ang realidad at gumawa ng eksena, kahit na malinaw na ipinapakita ng “practical reality” na kinikilala na ng lahat ng kaukulang awtoridad at stakeholder ang liderato ni Gatchalian.
Aniya, maging ang ilan sa mga kaalyado ni Cayetano sa ngayo’y minority bloc ay hindi na rin gaanong lantad sa pagsuporta sa kanyang pag-angkin sa pagkapangulo ng Senado.
“Magising na sana sa katotohanan ito ang realidad. Maski sinigaw niya sa buong mundo siya ang SP walang sumusunod sa kanya. Napansin ninyo tahimik ang iba niyang kasama ang dating maingay na kasabay niya wala na ring comment. Narealize na rin nila siguro ang reality tapos na boxing, wag na insist. Although walang permanent Senate President, pero di na siya ang SP for all intents and purposes,” aniya.
Muli ring iginiit ni Lacson na kapag natuloy ang espesyal na sesyon, dapat umiwas si Cayetano sa paggawa ng gulo sa mga proceedings at sa halip ay makilahok sa talakayan sa plenaryo kasama ang iba pang senador sa halip na sa Facebook.
“Huwag manggulo. Maging mga senador, makilahok. Tapos kung anong pinaglalaban, sa floor namin pag-usapan, huwag sa FB. Di namin siya madedebate sa FB. Ang puwede, magdebate kami sa plenaryo, hindi sa FB,” aniya.
‘Dapat Dumalo ang Lahat ng Senador’
Samantala, muling binigyang-diin ni Lacson na dapat dumalo ang lahat ng senador sa espesyal na sesyon dahil layunin nitong resolbahin ang mahahalagang panukala at mga usapin sa Commission on Appointments na naapektuhan ng boycott sa mga sesyon ng Senado na pinangunahan ni Cayetano noong Hunyo 1 hanggang 3.
Ani Lacson, kanyang “pinahahalagahan at hinahangaan” ang paninindigan ni Sen. Joel Villanueva na dumalo sa espesyal na sesyon bilang bahagi ng kanyang sagradong tungkulin. Aniya, ito rin ang naging paninindigan ni Sen. Francis Escudero nang sumama ito sa 11 noo’y minoryang senador upang makabuo ng quorum at mabigyang-daan ang pagbabago sa liderato ng Senado noong Hunyo 3.
“I just hope ibang kasama niya sa bloc ni Cayetano ay ganun din ang attitude,” aniya.
Ipinahayag din ni Lacson ang pag-asang tuluyan nang matatapos sa espesyal na sesyon ang usapin sa liderato ng Senado, kasabay ng kanyang pagtukoy sa desperasyon umano ni Cayetano na manatili sa kapangyarihan.
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