Senators show true colors in online voting clash – Palace

TOKYO, Japan — Malacañang on Wednesday said the recent clash over online voting at the Senate, which resulted in a walkout of the minority bloc, shows who among the senators are working for the people and who are only after their personal interests.

Minority bloc senators on Tuesday evening stormed out of the plenary session to protest a move calling on the chamber to decide on a two-week-old proposal from Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to allow members to vote in sessions via online channels.

READ: Clash on Senate online voting ends in walkout

“Lumalabas po talaga na maayos naman ang mga rules at nais lamang nila itong baguhin. Narinig na rin po mismo natin kay Sen. Alan Cayetano na ang hindi pagpunta at pagpunta mismo ni Sen. Bato dela Rosa sa Senado habang siya ay nagtatago noon ay isang justifiable reason dahil hindi nga daw nabibigyan ng siguridad kung ito ay maa-arresto o hindi,” said Palace press officer Claire Castro at a briefing on the sidelines of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Japan state visit.

(It turns out that the rules are fine, and they just want to change them. We have also heard from Sen. Alan Cayetano that Sen. Bato de a Rosa’s absence and his own visit to the Senate while he was in hiding was a justifiable reason because he was not given security whether he would be arrested or not.)

“Ngunit dito natin makikita…ang mga Pilipino dito makikita. Ito ang magandang pagkakataon para malaman natin lahat kung ang mga liderato ba at mga leaders na ito ay nagtatrabaho para sa bayan o para sa pansarili o pang pang ilan naman. Kagaya nga na sinabi ni Heneral Luna, ‘bayan o sarili?, mamili ka’,” she added, quoting a famous line from a movie.

(This is a good opportunity for us all to know whether these leaders are working for the people or for themselves or for some other people. Just like General Luna said, “the nation or yourself?, Choose.”)

Castro maintained that Marcos is hands-off regarding the Senate fiasco due to the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

Castro agreed that allowing online voting would enable senators in conflict with the law to “escape” authorities. /gsg