Statement of Malacañang amid Senate Issues
Malacañang reacted to the recent remarks of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano following the majority bloc’s 2-day no show for session.
The current issues in the Senate have gained national attention. Amid the issues, both the majority and the minority blocs earned criticisms and support. The majority senators were no show in the Senate sessions twice already – first when they accompanied Senator Jinggoy Estrada in his voluntary surrender to the authorities.
The authorities led by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla went to the Senate after the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against Estrada. He is faced with graft and plunder charges over his alleged multi-million flood control corruption.
Prior to his surrender, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had a press conference wherein he claimed that the minority bloc allegedly offered him to join them in exchange of his case’s dismissal. He tagged the accusations against him as alleged persecution.
Estrada denied the allegations against him. According to him, he will not yield and will not surrender his principles. Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano and some majority senators showed their support to the accused Senator. Malacañang recently spoke about it.
Based on News5, Malacañang press officer undersecretary Claire Castro said the majority senators’ act of accompanying Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as a friend is a must. However, the Palace official also claimed that it should not be in exchange of the senators turning their back from their mandate.
“Ang paghatid at pagsama kay Sen. Jinggoy Estrada bilang kaibigan nararapat lamang pero hindi po kinakailangang talikuran ang sariling mandato para lang sa ganitong klaseng isyu,” the Malacañang Undersecretary said.
Furthermore, based on the post, Malacañang also questioned Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano’s push for the independence of the chamber. Atty. Claire Castro asked where did Pres. Bongbong Marcos intervened in the chamber.
“Senate independence. Independence from what? Ano ba ang pinapalagan ni Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano? Saan ba nakialam ang Pangulo? So papaano magkakaroon ng pagtutulungan, kooperasyon, ang bawat sangay ng gobyerno, kung merong magmamataas, merong hindi tutupad sa batas, at merong magha-harian?” she said.
Several minority senators criticized the Senate Chief over his recent absence that is why two (2) plenary sessions in the chamber did not pull off. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian revealed the alleged expenses of the Senate daily saying the people’s money is wasted when the hours for work in the Senate is not being utilized properly.