Generally, the Senate of the Philippines needs a majority of its members to form a quorum.
Since the Senate has 24 senators, that usually means 13 senators are required under Article VI, Section 16(2) of the 1987 Constitution.
However, there is an important exception based on the Supreme Court case Avelino vs. Cuenco. In that ruling, the Court said that if some senators are effectively unavailable or beyond the chamberβs coercive authority (for example detained, abroad, or otherwise unable to attend), they may not be counted in determining the quorum.
In this case - 2 senators are already unavailable: Sen Bato who is currently in hiding and Sen Jinggoy who is in custody.
Nakakahiya na hindi mo βto alam π€¦π»ββοΈ
Loren Legarda is lying through her teeth and gaslighting everyone.
The New Majority-12 did NOT elect a Senate President.
They declared all positions vacant with a quorum of 12 legally backed up by the Senate Rules, the Constitution, SC jurisprudence, and Senate practice.
Why should Legarda know this?
Itβs because in May 2015 when three (3) of their fellow Senators were arrested for plunder and she was abroad on an official trip, they used a quorum of 12 out of 17 available Senators to conduct business.
Guess who was one of the Senators in 2015?
Yep, Loren Legarda. Along with Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano. Resibo below. π
And not one of them objected or claimed the session was unconstitutional. Not one of them filed a case before the Supreme Court.
You are now in estoppel, Senator Loren.
So no, we wonβt be gaslighted. π
#NoToGaslighting
Go to work! The minority blocβs walkout was a tactic for a reason. Meanwhile, the majority blocβs two-day absence was supposedly in retaliation and because their colleague was arrested. Thatβs really foolish. Theyβre only after their own self-interestβsuch hypocrites.
MAJORITY BOYCOTTS PLENARY SESSIONS - CAYETANO
JUST IN: Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano announced on a Facebook live stream that the majority bloc will not be attending the plenary sessions as retaliation for the minority bloc's walk out on a vote pushing for online participation in the Senate on May 26.
Cayetano also alleged that the minority senators are trying to overturn the leadership in the chamber to vacate the Blue Ribbon to stop the planned hearing on Thursday.
"Ginamit nila yung parliamentary tool na walk out para hindi matuloy ang pag-change ng rules. So ngayon po, ang majority ginagamit rin po yung rules sa tama, morally and legally, to ensure na hindi agawin ang mga committees para po matuloy ang hearing ng Blue Ribbon sa Thursday at ang ibaβt iba pang mga importanteng hearing sa bawat committee," he said. | πΈ: Cayetano/Facebook
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