Lacson: It was the majority who ‘scampered’ from Senate rules on night of minority’s walkout

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday, May 29 pushed back against Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s claim that the minority bloc “scampered out of the session hall” after a tensed debate on Senate rules. On the contrary, Lacson said it was the majority bloc who “scampered out of (Senate) rules” and that prompted the minority bloc to walk out of the Senate’s session hall. “’The minority group scampered out of the session hall.’— SP Cayetano ‘No, Mr. Senate President, we quietly walked out because you scampered out of our rules and wanted to divide the house while we were still debating,’”Lacson said on X. https://x.com/iampinglacson/status/2060143535303852131 “Nag-scamper daw kami. Pangit pakinggan, para kaming bahag ang buntot lumabas ng plenaryo. Sila mag-scamper from the rules gusto nilang madaliin (They say we scampered. It sounds ugly, it’s like we were cowards walking out of the plenary. When in fact, they were the ones who scampered from our rules and wanting to rush changing the rules),” Lacson pointed out in an interview on Radio DZBB. It can be recalled that during the Senate’s session last May 26, the majority bloc moved to tackle and vote in plenary a motion introduced by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to allow online participation in Senate proceedings. He said this runs contrary to the Rules of the Senate and the chamber’s committee system, as Section 24 of the Rules of the Senate – that the committees shall discuss, decide and submit a report on all matters referred to them – applies in the case of Marcoleta’s motion. Lacson pointed out that the motion introduced last May 11 was already referred to the Committee on Rules, which remains unconstituted following a leadership change also last May 11. He also said Section 136 which Cayetano cited—where the rules may be amended through a motion presented at least a day before consideration—does not apply due to the fact there was already a referral of the motion to the Committee on Rules. Right then, Cayetano insisted on dividing the house and putting the matter to a vote, the minority bloc members walked out, with minority leader Vicente Sotto III moving to adjourn the session for the day. Cayetano then remarked that the minority members “scampered out and left the minority leader instead of discussing the rule.” “Nandoon pa lang kami sa procedure pero gustong putulin ang debate at mag-divide the house papunta sa botohan e hindi pwede. Tackle muna namin ang procedure kasi mali ang invoke nilang rules (We were discussing procedures but they wanted to cut the debates and divide the house, but that cannot be. We should first tackle the procedure because they invoked the wrong rules),” Lacson said. Lacson, former Senate president pro tempore, said the Senate rules can be amended but the correct procedures should be followed. “Pwedeng amyendahan pero sundan natin ang procedure. Gusto niya amyendahan pero fastbreak… Kaya nga may committee system. Ang Kongreso di maka-function without committees (We can amend our rules but we must follow the procedure. They wanted to amend the rules fastbreak-style. And we have a committee system. Congress cannot function without the committees),” he explained. Lacson said the 11-man minority bloc will continue to debate, ask questions, interpellate and introduce amendments to the move if the majority insists on it. But Lacson said they will not discount another walkout or possibly elevating the matter to the Supreme Court as a last resort.