Minority senators staged a walkout on Tuesday in protest against amending the rules to allow virtual participation of senators in sessions being pushed by the majority bloc. 

Senator Kiko Pangilinan accused the majority of “railroading the process,” citing Senate rules that any amendments to the same must be presented to the floor one day before its consideration. 

Senator Rodante Marcoleta introduced the motion to amend Rule 14, Section 41 of the Senate Rules on 11 May. If approved, a senator—for justifiable reasons—will be allowed to attend and participate in sessions through videoconference or other forms of electronic means.

However, Pangilinan argued that such a motion had already lapsed, and the one raised by Marcoleta on Tuesday is the one that must be considered. 

Thus, Pangilinan and allies in the minority contended that they would take it up on Monday. Congress only holds sessions from Monday to Wednesday, but since 27 May is a holiday, in observance of Eid al-Adha, the session will resume on Monday, 1 June. 

Senate President Alan Cayetano, on the contrary, insisted on dividing the house for voting. He insisted that they would not discuss the merits yet, but whether they could take up the proposed amendments on the floor.

The majority’s insistence became a point of contention, with Senator Erwin Tulfo suggesting that they are deliberately revising the rules to allow allies—Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva—to participate in sessions amid a threat of a warrant of arrest from the Sandiganbayan over their alleged involvement in the flood control anomalies.

“Why are they in the majority in a hurry to tackle this motion and divide the house, Madame President?” Tulfo said in a high-pitched voice. “Is that the reason why they have to have this inserted in Section 41(C) to allow the voting of whoever will be jailed following the Ombudsman’s announcement?”

Subsequently, members of the minority walked out of the session hall in protest against the majority, leaving only Senate Minority Leader Tito. The lack of a quorum prompted Sotto to move that they adjourn the session, effectively derailing the majority’s plan to amend the rules.

In a joint statement, the 11-member minority bloc castigated what they called “an attempt to rush a major change in the Senate Rules.” They alleged that the rush was also a veiled effort to allow Senator Bato de la Rosa to cast his vote and participate in sessions despite having gone into hiding anew amid an ICC warrant. 

“The timing raises a question that the public deserves to hear debated openly…If the proposal is truly defensible, then let it pass through the proper route,” the statement reads.