Metro Manila, Philippines – Nine senators led by Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, June 16, filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to declare null and void the June 3 Senate session that installed Win Gatchalian as acting Senate president and reorganized the leadership posts and committee chairmanships.
The petitioners are Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Camille Villar, and former Senate Secretary Jose Luis Montales.
They asked the court to recognize Cayetano as Senate president and Legarda as Senate president pro tempore. Cayetano clarified that his group’s petition was not about the leadership as it is about preserving the institutional independence of the Senate.
Senators Joel Villanueva and Mark Villar were not in the list of petitioners. They have been identified with the Gatchalian bloc.
In a Facebook livestream on Tuesday, Cayetano hinted that the Gatchalian bloc may have already secured 13 votes to formally take over the Senate presidency.
Sen. Chiz Escudero made a surprise appearance during the June 3 session, giving Gatchalian’s group the 12 members needed to vacate Senate seats, but not enough to elect a new Senate president.
Villanueva said at the weekend he will attend a special session of Congress to be called by the president. On Monday, President Bongbong Marcos called for a special session of Congress for Wednesday, June 17.
