Sen. Chiz Escudero Speaks on Special Session Called by Pres. Bongbong Marcos
CHIZ ESCUDERO – The Senator expressed his belief that the special session was meant to solve the Senate leadership issue.
The Senate recently went very rough patches. In June 1, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities after the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against him over the graft and plunder cases filed against him due to his alleged flood control corruption. Some of the then-majority bloc showed his support to him.
Then-Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano and senators Rodante Marcoleta, Camille Villar, Mark Villar, and Imee Marcos accompanied Sen. Jinggoy Estrada when he approached the arresting officers. On the same day, the then-majority bloc was absent at the Senate plenary session.
The absence of the Cayetano bloc continued on June 2 as he said they want to protect the committee chairmanships. On June 3, one of the members of the bloc, Sen. Chiz Escudero, attended the Senate plenary session. The quorum of 12 senators resumed the session.
According to Sen. Chiz Escudero, he is taking a stand for the Senate so he decided to attend the session. He stressed that what was happening in the chamber then should not continue.
The 12 senators voted to declare all positions in the chamber vacant. They elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and he served as the acting Senate President in the session.
Following the election of Gatchalian as the Senate President Pro Tempore and the acting SP, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that he’s allegedly still the legitimate, legal, and moral Senate president of the country. He stressed his belief that 12 senators could not remove him from the position and elect a new one.
It was only last July 17 when Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano conceded as the Senate president. Sen. Joel Villanueva decided to join the majority bloc and the 13 senators officially voted Sen. Win Gatchalian as Senate chief. Recently, Sen. Chiz Escudero spoke on the special session called by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid the Senate leadership feud.
Based on GMA News, Sen. Chiz Escudero believes that the special session called for by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was supposedly to solve the Senate leadership issue. He stressed that, under the Constitution, the President has the authority to call for a special session for any reason.
“There is no need to have a specific reason. They said the reason for calling a special session is for the passage of important laws. Pero alam natin lahat, huwag na natin ikaila na ang rason kaya nagka-special session ay para maayos ’yung gusot, sigalot, bangayan, pagkakaroon ng dalawang ulo ng Senado. Para matapos na ‘yun,” Escudero said.
Based on the report, Sen. Chiz Escudero stressed that the issue on the Senate leadership must be settled regardless of which bloc one supports. According to him, it should not stay that way that the chamber has two (2) chiefs.
“Hindi naman monster ang Senado na may dalawang ulo, tatlong ulo, apat na ulo. Dapat, isa lang,” the Senator said.
Following the Senate leadership feud and amid a pending petition filed by the Cayetano bloc before the Supreme Court, Senate Pres. Sherwin Gatchalian claimed that it is good that he is now single.