Palace sees Gatchalian as legitimate Senate leader
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Gatchalian-led bloc: Blue Ribbon hearing 'unofficial, unauthorized'
MANILA – The Senate bloc led by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday criticized what it
In a statement, the bloc said the Senate must focus on its constitutional mandate to check abuses and pass laws for public welfare, as it urged the group led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to respect the chamber’s rules, quorum and newly constituted leadership.
“The Filipino people deserve senators who show up for work, not for drama,” the bloc said.
The majority bloc said there were no official Senate hearings scheduled for Thursday morning, citing Gatchalian's earlier statement that any proceeding called by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Robinhood Padilla and Rodante Marcoleta had no basis in Senate rules, the legislative calendar, or established authority.
It said the senators behind the gathering had refused to attend legitimately called sessions but later moved to hold what it described as an unofficial and unauthorized activity.
“They have refused to attend legitimately called sessions. Now, they are grandstanding in an unofficial and unauthorized gathering,” the bloc said.
The group also raised concerns over reports that Senate employees were being threatened with legal action if they did not follow instructions from the Cayetano bloc.
“These are civil servants who are simply trying to do their jobs in accordance with the law and the duly constituted leadership of the Senate,” it said.
The majority bloc described the supposed hearing as a “naked grab for power dressed up as ‘inquiry’ and ‘oversight,’” saying it was meant to preserve positions already lost in what it called a valid and constitutional reorganization of the chamber.
It said senators should instead attend sessions and work on measures that lower prices, create jobs, and protect farmers, workers, and vulnerable families.
“Hindi dasurb (deserve) ng taumbayan ang ginagawa niyo. Dasurb ng nagpapasweldo sa atin, #TrabahoHindiDrama (The people do not deserve what you are doing. What those who pay our salaries deserve is work, not drama)," the bloc said.
The statement came amid continuing tensions in the Senate following the leadership change that installed Gatchalian as acting Senate President and Sen. Erwin Tulfo as the new chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee.
Gatchalian earlier said the Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the flood control probe had been rescheduled to June 8 to allow Tulfo to review the committee’s work and evidence.
Remulla denial
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla denied trying to block two senators and 18 former soldiers from entering the Senate to attend the Blue Ribbon committee hearing.
Remulla issued the denial after Sen. Pia Cayetano claimed that she and the resource persons for the flood control hearing were blocked on their way to the session hall.
Videos showing Remulla being pushed by Sen. Robin Padilla have been circulating on social media, prompting some netizens to mock him.
In an interview, Remulla said he had no intention of blocking the group led by Cayetano and Padilla.
“I was walking out when I was pushed aside,” he said, noting that he was alone at the time.
Police deployment
As this developed, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. clarified that the beefed-up security deployment at the Senate is strictly confined to the outer perimeter of the Senate complex to maintain public order amid calls for a vigil following renewed tensions.
Nartatez said the measure is purely preventive and aimed at managing public assemblies outside the Senate grounds.
“Our deployment is strictly a proactive, external security measure meant to manage public assembly and ensure the safety of everyone,” he said in a statement.
“The PNP will remain outside the complex to monitor protesters and maintain public order, as we fully respect the administrative autonomy and internal protocols of the Senate's own security force,” he added.
Nartatez earlier ordered the deployment of additional police forces to the Senate complex as more people trooped to the area to hold protest actions. (PNA)
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