Metro Manila, Philippines — Acting Senate President Win Gatchalian and Senator Alan Cayetano have signaled openness to a dialogue following last week’s leadership clash that left the upper chamber divided.
During a Saturday night Facebook livestream, Cayetano publicly invited Gatchalian — acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore — to a meeting.
“Mag-meeting tayo. May naiisip akong solusyon. Mahirap humanap tayo ng solusyon kung sino ang tunay na Senate President kasi yung tatlong libro na hawak ko ay nagsasabing yung legitimate Senate President, yung nahalal nung labing tatlo,” he said.
[Translation: Let’s meet. I’ve come up with a solution. It’s hard to find a solution on who the true Senate President is because these three books I’m holding say that the legitimate Senate President was voted in by 13 senators.]
Cayetano presented three books during his livestream: a Bible, a copy of the Philippine Constitution, and a copy of the Rules of the Senate.
In an interview on Sunday, June 7, Gatchalian said he is open to meeting Cayetano and other members of the new minority bloc.
“Hindi naman mga nakilala ko lang, mga matatagal ko ng kilala. Kaya open naman pa ako. At alam ko naman, even si Senator Alan [Cayetano] gusto na rin ng maganda para sa ating bansa,” Gatchalian said.
“Siguro kami nalang mag-usap kung paano matuloy yun dahil magkakilala naman kami at matagal na rin kami magkakilala so gagawan na lang ng paraan,” he added.
[Translation: They are not just acquaintances, I’ve known the other senators for a long time. So I’m open to it. I know that Cayetano wants what’s good for the country. The two of us will likely talk about how this will proceed because we’ve known each other for a long time so we’ll find a way.]
Meanwhile, Gatchalian said he has not yet asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to call a special session, as he is still working on the agenda.
Tension in the Senate
Amid growing tension in the upper chamber, some lawmakers have weighed in on the situation.
On Sunday, Senator Erwin Tulfo, a member of the Gatchalian majority bloc, issued an apology to Cayetano over his remarks on “the arrest, manhandling, and dragging of Senator Cayetano and other individuals out of the session hall.”
Tulfo said the conduct was unbecoming of a public official or senator.
Senator Ping Lacson, also of the Gatchalian bloc, questioned Cayetano’s standing in the Senate.
“The Executive Department, House of Representatives, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, law deans, law professors, former Senate presidents and many others do not recognize Senator Alan Cayetano as the President of the Senate. So, what is he?” Lacson said.
He also criticized Cayetano for his frequent social media livestreams, saying: “‘When you’re strong on the law, pound the law. When you’re strong on the facts, pound the facts. When you’re weak on both…’ — mag-Facebook live ka na lang.”
