Lacson links Senate issues to Alan Cayetano’s desire to stay in power
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson believes that recent developments in the upper chamber are linked to Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s desire to remain in power.
“You know, in our view, Senate President Alan has only one purpose — to preserve his position, to preserve his Senate presidency. Nothing more,” Lacson, who is part of the minority bloc, told DZMM on Wednesday.
“He realized that our current ratio is 11-11. From 13, they are down to 11 because Senators Jinggoy [Estrada] and [Ronald] Bato [Dela Rosa] are absent and unable to attend the session. So he saw that the numbers are somewhat precarious,” he added.
Lacson was referring to the current composition of the Senate’s majority and minority blocs, which both have 11 members.
“So that is his only motive. We do not see any other motive,” he said in Filipino.
The 13-member majority bloc led by Cayetano has stopped attending Senate sessions since the arrest of Estrada, who was implicated in the flood control scandal.
Dela Rosa has gone into hiding after the International Criminal Court ordered his arrest in connection with the previous administration’s war on drugs.
Amid these developments, Cayetano challenged the minority to uphold the Senate’s independence, noting that recent events have blurred the line separating the chamber from the other co-equal branches of government.
READ: Cayetano challenges minority members: Let the Senate go quiet
“So I put one question to you, not as the Majority but as the chamber: Will you stand for the Senate’s independence?” Cayetano said in a statement posted on social media on Monday.
But being independent does not mean the Senate is above the law, Lacson argued.
“What he is saying about the independence of the Senate — don’t believe it. Let’s not believe it. That is not true,” he said in Filipino.
“Because the Senate’s independence does not mean we are above the law. No one is above the law,” he added.
A former police chief, Lacson pointed out that the arrest orders against Estrada and dela Rosa are part of the rule of law. /mcm /atm
