The Senate session on Monday spiraled into chaos after minority lawmakers took offense and moved to strike out from the records a portion of Senator Imee Marcos’ privilege speech, alleging that their rigorous push to reclaim the leadership has something to do with Charter change.
Senator Migz Zubiri took the podium shortly after Marcos delivered her speech to make a motion that the same be struck off the records for being “unparliamentary,” thereby going against the Senate rules. His colleagues in the minority seconded his motion.
The speech in question was supplemented by a video presentation accusing the Senate minority, among others, of forming an unholy alliance with members of the House of Representatives to amend the Constitution.
The alleged motive: to postpone the 2028 elections by extending President Marcos Jr.’s term for another three years and raising the qualifying age for the presidency from 45 to 50 so that Vice President Sara Duterte would be disqualified.
Zubiri lamented that the “horrible video” was “obviously opinionated” and a “propaganda tool” aimed at “destroying” the minority senators just to “gain traction and publicity.”
“[What if] we come up also with a propaganda video here exposing their sins too? We're not like that,” Zubiri argued. “[We] know nothing about the Charter change. This whole group is just shaking their heads. There is no such thing.”
Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto, who was accused of spearheading the Cha-cha talks, also castigated Marcos’ speech. He argued that “I have never been in favor of Cha-cha,” and she could have verified it from her “source.”
Senators Erwin Tulfo and Raffy Tulfo strongly supported the motion to strike it off from the records, pointing out that it carries unparliamentary acts which are disrespectful to their colleagues.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta, however, defended his colleague from the majority. He argued that there was nothing in Marcos’ speech that was deemed unparliamentary or offensive to warrant a strikeout from the records.
“I think what is being objected to, Madame President, which is not covered by the rules, are the videos that were present during or before her speech,” he argued.
Following fierce opposition from the minority, Marcos later withdrew her video presentation.
Senator Kiko Pangilinan, former chair of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, argued that he never held a single hearing for bills on Cha-cha.
“That in itself is proof, Mr. President, that it is speculation, conspiracy to commit or amend the Constitution for whatever self-serving reason, term extension, no elections…These are lies,” Pangilinan lamented.
Senator Win Gatchalian also echoed the statements of his fellow minority lawmakers, saying the talks of a Cha-cha were never floated in their recent discussions or caucuses.
