Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday accused Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano of undermining the chamber’s credibility, saying the Senate has been left stalled while its leader delivers public remarks through social media instead of presiding over formal sessions.
Lacson said Cayetano’s continued absence from the Senate session hall and alleged verbal suspension of proceedings have weakened the institution he is expected to lead.
“WHAT A MESS! Where else can we find a Senate President who boycotts the regular sessions of a chamber which he is supposed to preside, then delivers speeches on Facebook instead of the Senate floor before his peers so we can interpellate him?” Lacson said in a post on X.
The senator said Cayetano had earlier warned that the Senate was under attack, but argued that the chamber is now being harmed by its own leadership.
“The Senate is under attack, but by its own leadership,” Lacson said.
Lacson also alleged that Senate sessions were being suspended without formal written notices, saying announcements were only relayed verbally through staff.
He claimed this violated established procedures and raised concerns about transparency in Senate operations.
“He would just notify senators’ staff that the session is suspended when it’s not. We never received any notice to the effect, in accordance with our procedures.
Cayetano did not do that because he does not want a paper trail of his violations,” Lacson said.
He said such actions could constitute dereliction of duty and may be brought before the Senate ethics committee, noting that any citizen may file a complaint if supported by sufficient basis.
“Plain and simple, his actions amount to dereliction of duty because we have a duty to perform, but he is not doing it,” he said.
Lacson also appealed to majority senators to attend Wednesday’s session, the final session day before adjournment sine die, stressing the need to act on pending legislative work.
He added that even without the Senate President or other presiding officers, senators present may still constitute a quorum and elect a presiding officer to proceed with business.
The senator likewise dismissed claims that the minority bloc intended to take over Senate committees, calling it a justification used for the continued suspension of sessions.
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