MANILA, Philippines — The threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused minority senators to physically skip the Senate’s special session aimed at tackling a measure to address the same issue that forced them to stay at home.
The upper chamber of Congress opened its special session, which is currently suspended as of writing, to discuss a measure declaring a national emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic and granting additional powers to President Rodrigo Duterte to address the same.
In a text message to reporters, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon clarified that the minority bloc’s absence was not a “boycott.”
Other senators belonging to the minority bloc are Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan.
Senator Leila de Lima, another minority senator, is currently detained in Camp Crame over drug-related charges.
“(T)he absence of the Minority Bloc in the Special Session is NOT, repeat NOT, a boycott. We are on a 14-day self-quarantine as we were exposed on March 11 to (Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri), who was tested positive,” Drilon said.
It was earlier last week when Zubiri disclosed that he tested positive for the disease. He is so far the highest-ranking official to be infected.
Drilon also cited his age and medical condition as a reason why he opted not to physically participate in the session.
“Moreover, because of my age (and a pacemaker to regulate my heartbeat), I am a high-risk person who must take extra precaution,” he said.
“We have requested for a session through teleconferencing, but (Senate President Vicente Sotto III) informed us the Senate does not have that facility,” he added.
For his part, Pangilinan said he is on his 13th day of self-quarantine after his exposure to a COVID-19-positive patient.
“Upon the advice of my doctor and consistent with the DoH strict protocols on Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) I am constrained to stay at home in order to avoid the possibility of infecting others should I be positive yet asymptomatic. I have not been tested,” he said.
Pangilinan said he is now under observation after he experienced a dry cough last Saturday night.
“My Doctor (my younger sister Donna) has advised me to monitor the cough. According to her, it may be viral or since I have a history of acid reflux, it may be an acid reflux induced cough. I have no fever. I have no cold,” he explained.
“The above-mentioned development plus the strict 14-day self-quarantine are the reasons why I am unable to attend today’s Special Session,” he added.
Pangilinan, however, said he is “in direct communication” with some colleagues “who in turn are in communication with Senators in attendance so that we may introduce through them our proposed amendments.”
“We are working to ensure that the bill finally approved into law will be an effective tool in defeating the pandemic now wreaking havoc on our nation and our people,” he added.
Like Pangilinan, Hontiveros is also under self-quarantine.
“I‘m STRICTLY following health protocols set by DOH (Department of Health) & still under self-quarantine set to end by March 25,” she said over Twitter.
On my participation in the Special Session to discuss the Pres’s request for emergency powers, I‘m STRICTLY following health protocols set by DOH & still under self-quarantine set to end by March 25.
As part of the Minority, I’ve asked the Sen Pres to allow teleconferencing. pic.twitter.com/dhTNwOdlFR
— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) March 23, 2020
In a statement, Hontiveros said that while she fully supports the allocation of additional funds to boost the government’s efforts to immediately contain disease, she said the proposed grant of additional powers to the executive branch is “clearly unnecessary to address the most pressing needs of health workers, COVID-19 patients, and poor Filipinos alike in this critical period.”
READ: Sotto, Cayetano file bill granting more power to Duterte
“Our existing laws already grant government the powers and other necessary tools needed to mount an effective response against COVID-19,” she said.
“Notably, the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act or Republic Act No. 11332, of which I am an author, provides comprehensive mechanisms during epidemics or other health emergencies,” she added.