Economist and former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Winnie Monsod and the Senate’s 11-member minority bloc on Tuesday separately called on Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to resign, citing what they described as failures in leadership amid growing turmoil in the chamber.

“He should resign,” Monsod told reporters when asked what Cayetano should do. Putting herself in Cayetano’s position, Monsod said she would consider stepping down if she were leading a Senate facing multiple issues.

“With so many things that have been happening, it’s a reflection of my leadership,” she said. “In all good taste, in delicadeza, I should resign and say, ‘Maybe you should get a better leader, because obviously I’m not.’”

Monsod also rejected claims that the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada was politically motivated.

“For them to say that Jinggoy Estrada was arrested so that the majority will become the minority, it’s so ridiculous. It makes idiots of the Filipino people,” she said.

Estrada surrendered Monday to the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with a plunder case involving alleged P573 million in kickbacks from flood control projects.

Monsod likewise expressed support for the Senate’s 11-member minority bloc.

“Certainly, I would like these people to become the majority,” she said.

“I hear now that Senate committees have not yet been formed because the Senate President is still busy doing whatever he’s not supposed to be doing. That’s another waste of the people’s money,” she added.

Abandonment

The minority bloc echoed the call for Cayetano’s resignation following the cancellation of a scheduled plenary session on Monday.

In a joint statement read by Senator Erwin Tulfo during a press conference, the minority group said the absence of members of the majority bloc during the 5 p.m. session amounted to “a clear abandonment of responsibility.”

“[It was] a dereliction of duty, and a blatant disregard of the rules that govern this institution, because the Senate cannot be made to stop working simply because its presiding officer refuses to lead,” the statement read.

The minority cited Rule XIV, Section 41 of the Senate Rules, which states that the Senate President may postpone a session only after consulting both the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader.

“That rule was violated,” the statement said.

The group described the alleged violation as “not a procedural lapse” but “a direct violation of the Rules of the Senate,” which it said showed “serious disrespect for the institution and the Filipino people.”

“Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano should resign as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate,” the minority bloc said.