Sen. Ping Lacson Expresses Good Words for Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Joel Villanueva
PING LACSON – The Senator commended his colleagues Sen. Chiz Escudero and Sen. Joel Villanueva who recently joined the majority bloc.
The June 3 Senate plenary session was pushed through because of the unexpected attendance of Sen. Chiz Escudero. The Senator who was then coming from the majority bloc surprisingly appeared at the chamber on the third day of the absence of the bloc.
Sen. Chiz Escudero clarified that he is choosing the Senate in his decision to appear at the Senate plenary session. The ‘new majority bloc’ claimed that they’re already at the verge of committing a violation against the Constitution due to the series of cancelled plenary sessions because of the absence of the then-majority bloc.
The senators even called for the resignation of then Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano. The attendance of Escudero brought them into a quorum of 12. The senators voted to declare all positions in the chamber vacant.
After the 12 senators voted for all positions in the chamber to be declared vacant, they elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore. It did not sit well with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano who asserted that he supposedly remains as the legal and moral chief of the chamber.
According to Cayetano, 13 senators are supposedly needed to oust him. Recently, the said 13th senator moved from their bloc and joined the new majority bloc. It is no other than Sen. Joel Villanueva.
Prior to the Senate plenary session that is ongoing now, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano conceded as the Senate president. He announced that Sen. Joel Villanueva will be joining the new majority, thus, they now have the numbers to elect a Senate chief.
Recently, based on a post of Philippine Star, Sen. Ping Lacson commended Sen. Chiz Escudero and Sen. Joel Villanueva for “responding to their higher calling” for the chamber. He stressed that the two senators regarded their calling over their friendships and affiliations.
“I think I will be remiss of my duty and responsibility as a senator, colleague, and friend if I didn’t thank and commend our two distinguished colleagues, Senator Chiz Escudero and Senator Joel Villanueva, for responding to their higher calling for this chamber, known as the Philippine Senate, higher than their friendships, their affiliations and every individual of this body, even higher than themselves,” Sen. Ping Lacson said.
This morning, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian was officially elected as Senate President. The Blue Ribbon Committee chairman now is Sen. Erwin Tulfo and all majority bloc members except for Sen. Chiz Escudero are members of the committee.