“Bakit kailangang madaliin?”

Following a heated dispute over Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s proposal to allow electronic voting during sessions, the Senate minority bloc staged a walkout and on May 26 issued a joint statement condemning “rushed changes” to Senate Rules.

Marcoleta proposed the rule change on May 11, when Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa reappeared after six months — now facing a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and is currently in hiding.

“Minamadali ba ang rule change na ito dahil gusto nilang makaboto si Senator Bato? At ngayong may mga ulat na may mga majority senators na maaaring arestuhin?” asked the minority in the statement.

Plunder and malversation cases against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Joel Villanueva in connection with the flood control scandal will be filed in the coming weeks, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.

The minority also questioned the process taken by Marcoleta, deeming it as “rushed by the tyranny of the majority.”

“We walked out because what happened on the floor looked less like orderly deliberation. The proposed rule change affects how senators may attend sessions, participate in proceedings and exercise their mandate through remote means, and such a measure should be opened to healthy public debate,” they added.

Currently, under Rule XIV, Section 41, paragraph (b) of The Rules of The Senate, senators are required to be physically present in the session hall to participate and vote, except during force majeure or a national emergency, as determined by a majority of all Senate members.

In contrast, in Marcoleta’s proposed paragraph (c) insertion under the same section, senators with “justifiable reasons” will be allowed to participate in sessions through teleconference, video conference, or other forms of remote or electronic means.

Minority slams ‘railroaded’ process

Pointing out that the Rules Committee has not yet been reconstituted since Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano’s installation as Senate President, Minority Sen. Panfilo Lacson had objected to the proposed change.

“Has the committee on rules been constituted?” Lacson asked during the session.

In response, Cayetano stated that the motion was made with Rule 51 of the chamber in mind, which allows Rules amended through a motion with the approval of the majority of present senators. 

“Does this mean we are now disregarding the committees of the Senate?” Lacson replied. 

Under Senate Rules, proposed measures must first undergo hearings by the committee they are assigned to. The committee must then submit a report signed by the majority of its members before the measure can be taken up in plenary for discussion and approval.

“I suggest that we constitute the committee on rules and discuss it there,” former Senate President Vicente Sotto stated. 

“We are several members of the minority here, and only Senator Lacson has spoken. Why are we railroading this process?” Sen. Kiko Pangilinan emphasized during his floor.

After the session was adjourned due to a lack of quorum following the walkout, Marcoleta criticized the minority bloc and reiterated his proposal.

“Hindi namin kayo nire-railroad,” he stated. 

The session is adjourned until Monday next week.

Public brings up De Lima’s video conferencing appeal in 2020; Hontiveros responds

Following the heated debate regarding the remote voting proposal, earlier records of Sen. Leila de Lima’s appeal to join virtual sessions during her detention has resurfaced.

In a Facebook post, Sen. Risa Hontiveros emphasized that the push for de Lima’s participation back then and the current proposed changes is “incomparable.”

“Hindi pwedeng ikumpara itong ‘video conferencing’ push ng Senate majority ngayon sa panawagan noong 2021 para payagan ang pagsali sa sesyon at committee hearings ni noo’y Senator De Lima,” she stated.

Hontiveros cleared that the Senate was videoconferencing at that time due to the pandemic, which is not the case in the present.

“COVID pandemic noon at ang Senado, gaya ng ibang institusyon, ay naka video-conferencing. The Senate Rules only allow videoconferencing due to force majeure or occurrence of national emergency. Wala namang pandemic ngayon,” she said.

She added that unlike dela Rosa, de Lima “surrendered, was detained, and respected the law.”

“The Senate should not pave the way for a member to continue to vote, influence policies and receive institutional benefits of office – despite refusing to submit to lawful arrest or judicial authority,” Hontiveros concluded.

On June 17, 2020, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 rejected the Omnibus Motion of de Lima to participate in sessions, committee hearings, and meetings online from her place of detention due to lack of merit.

It must be noted that the Senate has been allowed to do online hearings sessions and hearings since May 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it falls under the “national emergency” stated by the Senate Rules.

“Allowing her to do so today would be tantamount to allowing her to participate even after the state of public health emergency,” the court stated.

Earlier in 2019, then-Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Panfilo Lacson  pushed to allow de Lima to join Senate sessions from Camp Crame, but the proposal was not acted upon by the Senate as it was considered a court matter.