The battle for the Senate leadership turned violent yesterday after the faction of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano convened a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry in defiance of a rival bloc’s decision to suspend the crucial panel’s hearings until Monday.
A physical confrontation between Senator Robinhood Padilla and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla erupted as they made their way toward the second floor of the Senate building.
Tensions flared after Remulla and some members of the chamber security tried to stop Senators Pia Cayetano and Padilla from escorting a group of supposed former military personnel into the building.
The confrontation happened moments before Cayetano was supposed to resume the Blue Ribbon Committee’s inquiry into the flood control fund controversy.
Remulla attempted to physically block Padilla and Padilla’s group from proceeding toward the Senate plenary hall, where the hearing was scheduled.
At one point, Remulla and Padilla engaged in a shouting match as they made their way toward the second floor of the Senate building.
With the help of Cayetano and Padilla, the 18 Marines eventually forced their way into the Senate and proceeded to the plenary hall.
Remulla denied any intent to obstruct. “I was walking out when I was pushed aside,” he said. “How can I do that? I was alone.”
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At the hearing, Cayetano maintained that he remains the legitimate head of the Senate despite a leadership shake-up that saw Senator Win Gatchalian take the oath as Senate president pro tempore and acting Senate president.
Cayetano made the remarks during a press conference on the Senate floor alongside Senator Rodante Marcoleta.
Opening his statement, Cayetano said that while he may have a “kingdom,” he has never acted as a king.
“A Senate controlled by Malacañang is not a true Senate,” he said.
He was referring to Wednesday’s Senate proceedings, during which committee leadership positions were declared vacant and reassigned, including the Blue Ribbon Committee now headed by Sen. Erwin Tulfo.
“Things are happening behind the scenes. That’s why I say res ipsa loquitur. Read between the lines and you’ll understand what happened,” Cayetano said.
“But what is the reality? The reality is, I was elected by 13. The Constitution,” he added, stressing that a Senate president cannot be removed without 13 votes.
“Second, even assuming they had a quorum, they still need 13 votes to remove the Senate President and the Senate President Pro Tempore. Even if they declared all seats vacant, I actually laughed because Senator Win did not know that you cannot declare all seats vacant with only 12 votes,” he said.
Cayetano argued that while committee positions may be declared vacant with 12 votes, the positions of Senate president and Senate president pro tempore cannot.
He also dismissed criticism that his bloc’s three-day absence meant they were refusing to work.
“Look at Bam Aquino’s post. When [they] walked out, it was for the country. When we didn’t show up, we were accused of not wanting to work,” he said.
“When they held a session, they had 12 senators. They said they had a quorum, so what did they do? They adjourned sine die. [T]hat shows they’re talking about power. We’re talking about what is right,” he added.
Jabs for rival
Cayetano also criticized Gatchalian for accepting the role of acting Senate president.
“He’s exercising all kinds of immaturity in our democracy. He agreed that 12 senators were enough. He agreed to become acting Senate president when the rules clearly state that you can only have an acting Senate president if the Senate president has died or if there is no Senate president,” he said.
He likewise questioned Gatchalian’s coordination with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Senate security matters.
“What image of the Senate are we projecting? For those who lived through martial law, do we want to bring back that image? It was a different time and different circumstances,” he said.