MANILA — A dramatic intervention by former Senate President Francis Escudero broke a legislative deadlock on Wednesday, allowing the Senate to reconvene after days of paralysis and triggering a major reorganization of the chamber’s leadership amid an escalating internal power struggle.
Escudero’s attendance enabled the Senate to muster the 12 senators needed to establish a quorum despite the continued absence of members aligned with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. The session paved the way for the declaration of several key Senate positions as vacant and the subsequent election of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore and Miguel Zubiri as majority leader.
The leadership reshuffle also saw Sen. Erwin Tulfo elected chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Sen. JV Ejercito taking over the Finance Committee, and Ray Bantug being chosen as Senate secretary.
Escudero said he decided to attend the session because the Senate could no longer afford to remain immobilized by political divisions.
“The current impasse in the Senate is untenable and unacceptable,” he said.
He urged lawmakers to place the institution above partisan interests.
“When political divisions become too extreme and obstruct our mandate, we must all have the courage to pause, gain perspective, reflect, consider and realize that we should put the Senate, as the institution that we serve, above ourselves,” Escudero said.
The senator stressed that his decision was not an endorsement of any political camp.
“I am taking a stand for the Senate. My allegiance is not to any faction, personality, group or alliance. This is not about loyalty, betrayal, or choosing one group over the other — this is about duty,” he said.
Gatchalian defended the legality of the proceedings, warning that continued inaction could have placed the Senate in constitutional jeopardy.
“The Senate has been adjourned and unable to resume session for the past two days, placing us on the brink of constitutional violation had we not convened today,” Gatchalian said.
He maintained that a quorum could be established with 12 senators.
“The quorum of 12 is based on majority of 22 senators, over whom jurisdiction can be obtained by the Senate,” he said.
Gatchalian also cited the landmark Avelino vs Cuenco ruling, which he said recognized 12 senators as sufficient to constitute a constitutional majority under certain circumstances.
Despite the reorganization, senators acknowledged that Cayetano remains Senate president because the chamber did not have enough votes to elect a new presiding officer.
Tulfo said Gatchalian would temporarily preside over Senate proceedings.
The Senate standoff has disrupted legislative work for days as members of the majority bloc repeatedly failed to attend sessions amid political tensions involving senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Jinggoy Estrada.
The crisis drew concern from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who publicly urged senators to return to work and end the stalemate.
“Get back to work. Get back to work because it’s important, ang dami nating kailangang gawin,” Marcos said.
The President said the prolonged conflict had thrown the Senate into disarray and damaged its credibility.
“I’m afraid whatever all these events that we have been witnessing has thrown the Senate and its leadership, the whole Senate, into disarray. It has discredited the leadership. It stopped the essential business of legislation in government,” he added.
Marcos also questioned why legislative work had ground to a halt while the Executive and Judicial branches continued to function.
“Why does the legislature decide to stop working? I don’t understand that,” he said.
The Palace earlier warned that the continuing turmoil could jeopardize the passage of several priority measures before Congress adjourns its first regular session this week, including the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act, Independent People’s Commission Act, Travel Tax Abolition measure, and the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act./PN
