The Senate minority bloc on Tuesday called for Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to resign after the chamber failed to convene for a second straight session day, amid an ongoing impasse triggered by the majority bloc’s decision to withhold quorum.
The minority senators said the repeated failure to open session reflected a breakdown in leadership and a disregard for the Senate’s duty to function as a deliberative body.
In a joint statement, the Solid Bloc 11 minority said Cayetano could no longer effectively lead the chamber if sessions were being stalled under his watch.
“Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano SHOULD RESIGN as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate,” the bloc said.
The group also cited Senate rules, arguing that the presiding officer has a duty to ensure sessions proceed unless properly suspended after consultation with both majority and minority leaders.
They described the continued suspension of sessions as a “dereliction of duty” and said it undermined public trust in the institution.
“What happened today was a clear abandonment of responsibility, a dereliction of duty, and a blatant disregard of the rules that govern this institution, because the Senate cannot be made to stop working simply because its presiding officer refuses to lead,” the minority said.
The Senate again failed to convene on Tuesday, June 2, marking the second consecutive session day without formal proceedings.
The majority bloc earlier defended its decision to withhold quorum, saying it was intended to safeguard ongoing Senate investigations, particularly the inquiry into alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
It said the current situation was complicated by the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and the continued absence of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, warning that temporary numerical shifts could affect committee leadership and ongoing inquiries.
Senate President Cayetano, for his part, defended the majority’s stance, framing the issue as part of a broader effort to preserve institutional independence and integrity.
He said the chamber must avoid becoming “a puppet or dependent Senate” and emphasized the importance of maintaining stability in ongoing investigations.
“Para mapagsilbihan kayo ng bagong Majority, we have to make sure na nariyan ‘yung 13 senators para masubukan ninyo ano madedeliver namin sa inyo,” Cayetano said.
The Senate impasse continues to center on disputes over quorum management, leadership authority, and the handling of sensitive investigations, with both blocs maintaining opposing interpretations of the chamber’s rules and responsibilities.
Photo courtesy of Senator Risa Hontiveros / Facebook
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