MANILA, Philippines—As one majority bloc senator pointed out, “they skunked out,” referring to the boycott by allies of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. on the last day of session in Congress.

The boycott Wednesday prevented the Senate from voting on the recommendation of the committee of the whole to censure Villar for alleged misconduct in connection with the C-5 road extension controversy.

Only 11 senators showed up at Wednesday’s session. The chamber adjourned the session several minutes after it opened due to lack of quorum, but not without senators expressing their outrage at the boycott.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a Villar ally, belied accusations by the majority led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that the minority bloc had boycotted the session to prevent the adoption of the committee report.

In a press conference, Cayetano said voting on the report could still be done Thursday or Friday.

Under the legislative calendar adopted by both chambers, Congress goes on official break for the election campaign starting this Saturday.

The Senate and House of Representatives will also have to meet in joint session on May 31 as the national canvassing board for the presidential and vice presidential elections. Sine die adjournment for the 14th Congress is on June 5.

Cayetano said the minority was expecting Enrile to continue sessions until Friday.

When asked what could be Enrile’s reason for adjourning the session, Cayetano said it was a “safety” move in line with the majority’s strategy to keep him as Senate president during the canvassing period.

“Why didn’t he (wait) until May 31?” he asked. “Because (Enrile) is evading any attempt to (challenge his leadership) because many members want a Senate president who is not a reelectionist, so that when there is a failure of elections, President Arroyo would not remain as President but a non-reelectionist senator (would serve as Acting President).”

Some of the senators blamed their absent colleagues for the Senate’s inability to approve other important measures, such as the ratification of the Philippine Immigration Act 2009 and the committee report seeking President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to explain her role in the National Broadband Network (NBN) controversy.

Report not dead

But for Enrile, Committee Report No. 780 was not dead yet because he said it could still be tackled when senators return for one last session from May 31 to June 4, when senators convene as a canvassing body.

Enrile opened the session Wednesday with only 11 senators. Besides himself, the others were Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, Richard Gordon, Francis Escudero, Rodolfo Biazon, Gregorio Honasan and lone minority member Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

Absent were Villar, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., and Senators Loren Legarda, Alan and Pia Cayetano, Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

After the roll call attendance, Enrile sought from Senate officials who had sought to go on official mission.

The officials said Legarda and Pia Cayetano had sought to go on official mission Wednesday but this was denied by the Senate due to an order that everyone should be present in the session.

“It is evident from the viewpoint of the chair that there’s an effort to prevent the disposition of the committee report of the whole,” Enrile said, as he added that he was “now faced with the problem of lack of quorum.”

The committee report found that Villar had failed to declare a conflict of interest in the C-5 road extension project in Las Piñas and Parañaque cities. He was paid for right-of-way by the government and the value of the real estate owned by his firms increased because this was traversed by the road project.

Arrest

Zubiri moved to adjourn the session but Enrile allowed Madrigal to speak. She proposed the arrest of the absent senators by the Senate sergeant of arms, but Enrile rejected this.

Gordon slammed the absent senators who he said were irresponsible for avoiding their duty.

“They want to skunk out of their responsibility to make a decision,” Gordon said. “They weaseled out of their responsibility.”

NBN controversy

Gordon also lamented the non-approval of his blue ribbon committee report on the NBN controversy which he said noted the “malfeasance, nonfeasance and misfeasance of everybody from the President to the Cabinet members.”

“Some of the people who were not present were the ones who were shouting to the highest heavens that the report should come out and prosecute those involved,” he said.

Gordon further lamented that the boycott happened because “one senator did not want to face his accusers,” referring to Villar. Gordon is running for president in May.

Biazon said the boycott was a “sad way to end the last day of the 14th Congress” and a “sad day” for him since Wednesday was his last day because his term was ending in June. He is running for a House seat.

Madrigal, the complainant in the ethics case against Villar, said she was “saddened” that the minority had “chosen a coward’s way out if I may say by not appearing and not facing the music.”

Reason for boycott

Cayetano gave a reason for the minority no-show: To prevent the majority from adopting two bills which, he said, would ensure a steady flow of money to Arroyo allies.

He was referring to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Bill and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) Bill.

The first bill extends the term of top NTC officials to five years, while the second extends the term of Pagcor officials to six years, he said.

Santiago said she joined Wednesday’s boycott to show displeasure over alleged attempts to pass the two bills.

“I am chair of the economic affairs committee, and I was never consulted on either bill. I would certainly have protested a vote on the floor this afternoon because they have worrisome provisions,” Santiago said.

The failure of the Senate to muster a quorum on its last day of session before the election campaign seemed to have benefited Ms Arroyo and all other high officials who had been implicated in the $329-million NBN deal with China’s ZTE Corp. The project sought to electronically link government offices nationwide.

In November 2009, Gordon released the report to the media at a press conference. He reported out the report on the floor only on Tuesday.

Gordon said that Ms Arroyo was “answerable” for the “stinking” NBN-ZTE deal.

The joint committee recommended the investigation of Ms Arroyo, including possible impeachment, and the prosecution by the Ombudsman of 11 others, including her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, for allegedly conspiring to defraud the government in exchange for “kickbacks” from the since scrapped contract.