'LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE'
Sen. Panfilo Lacson questioned the logistics behind the P805-billion flood control kickback allegations by 18 alleged former Marines.
The ex-Marines, who claimed they delivered flood control "kickbacks" to several politicians, appeared at a Senate inquiry led by the Cayetano bloc on Thursday, amid allegations that each received P5 million in exchange for their testimony.
READ RELATED STORY: https://t.co/3Ww4MFkv1K
‘PATI TAONG HINDI MAKALAKAD, NINAKAWAN!’
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on Thursday, June 4, decried alleged corruption in a city barangay, saying even benefits meant for persons with disabilities (PWDs) were being stolen.
READ: https://t.co/6vVvNRveIs
‘HINDI KAMI BAYARAN’
Broadcast journalist Kara David made a brief yet striking response to Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who called the media paid hacks on Thursday.
“Hindi kami bayaran,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
Marcoleta made the "bayaran" statement during the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that he and Senator Alan Cayetano led, with 18 former Marines testifying that they allegedly served as bagmen and delivered luggage of cash in kickbacks from flood control projects to several lawmakers.
“Pasensya na po kung ako’y nakapagsalita nang gano’n. I did not mean it. Ito po ay dahil sa frustration ko sa nangyari at nangyayari,” said Marcoleta in a press conference after the hearing.
WATCH: https://t.co/BieFoP6sAc
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged local government unit officials to mount their own local Pride March to support the members of the LGBT community in their cities and provinces.
“This is not just one city’s fight, this is the country’s fight, and this is the country’s fight for human rights that should be recognized and given to everyone,” she said. | via @josiahvantonio
Ipapaalala ko lang po ang sinabi ni Mayor Vico Sotto:
“Hindi lang sila basta naglalaglagan, gusto nila magulo ang kwento. Gusto nila lituhin tayo. Gusto nila na di na natin malalaman ang totoo.”
"These are people who are really capable of lying without batting an eyelash."
https://t.co/w2hoo9sV3L
Geriatric patients with worse arthritis would line up as early as 5am in government hospitals just to be seen by their doctors. Respectfully, sit down in jail.
Ganito na lang.
I-assume natin na pumasok kahapon ang lahat ng 22 Senators na maaaring pumasok, dahil bayad naman sila ng taumbayan para pumasok.
May quorum? Yes.
Ilan ang kailangang bumoto para makagalaw ang Senado sa isang ordinary motion? 12, dahil iyon ang majority ng 22 Senators present. Ngayon, kung may motion si Senator Sotto na i-declare na bakante ang lahat ng posisyon sa Senado, at 12 Senators ang bumoto pabor, ano ang resulta?
Mababakante ang mga posisyon, kasama ang Senate Presidency. Ganito rin nabakante ang mga posisyon nung huling namuno si Senator Sotto at nag-motion si Senator Villanueva nung May 11, 2026 to declare all Senate leadership positions vacant.
Makakahalal ba sila agad ng Senate President? Hindi, kung walang makakuha ng 13 votes. The Constitution requires the Senate President to be elected by majority vote of all the Members of the Senate.
Pero makakahalal ba sila ng Senate President Pro Tempore? Yes.
Bakit? Dahil ang Constitution mismo ang nagsasabi na each House shall choose such other officers as it may deem necessary. Ang Senate President Pro Tempore ay hindi Senate President. Isa siyang ibang officer na kinikilala ng Rules of the Senate na dapat ihalal ng majority of all members of the Senate.
So ano ang dapat gawin? I-harmonize ang Constitution at ang Rules of the Senate.
Dapat ba ang interpretation ay hahayaang walang mahalal at maparalisa ang Senado? Hindi. A reading that leaves the Senate unable to organize or transact business should be avoided, because the Constitution contemplates a functioning Senate, not a paralyzed chamber.
Hindi hinalal si Senator Gatchalian bilang Senate President Pro Tempore para pumalit kay Senator Legarda personally. Hinalal siya para punan ang posisyong nabakante dahil sa lehitimong motion ni Senator Sotto.
Hindi rin siya nahalal na Senate President by 12 votes.
Ang nangyari ay ito: nabakante ang Senate Presidency; walang nahalal na Senate President dahil walang 13 votes; ngunit may valid election ng Senate President Pro Tempore under the Constitution and the Rules of the Senate. By operation of the Rules of the Senate, the Senate President Pro Tempore acts as Senate President while the office is vacant.
Hindi lamang sinabi ng Avelino v. Cuenco na hindi kasama sa pag-determine ng quorum ang mga Senador na hindi maaaring i-compel na umattend. Sinabi rin ng kaso na makatwiran na bigyang-bisa ang nais ng nakararami, lalo na sa pagpili ng mamumuno sa Senado, dahil ang pagpili ng Senate leadership ay nakadepende sa will of its members.
Higit sa lahat, hindi pinapayagan ng Constitution na paralisado ang kahit isang Kapulungan ng Kongreso. Kailangan pa ba talagang isulat iyon? Kahit ang taumbayan, hindi papayag na hindi magtrabaho ang mga pinapasweldo nila sa gobyerno.
Kahit grade 1 student, pumapasok nang walang bayad dahil alam niyang tungkulin niyang mag-aral. Ang mga senador pa kaya? Sila itong may malaking budget para kumuha ng magagaling na abogado na magpapaliwanag kung ano ang maaari at hindi maaaring gawin sa Senado.
‘THE SENATE SESSION OF JUNE 3, 2026 WAS LAWFUL AND VALID'
READ: The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) issues a statement on what constitutes a legitimate quorum for the Senate to conduct official business following the June 3 Senate session, saying the 1949 Avelino v. Cuenco ruling is applicable.
“One senator cannot be compelled to attend the session because he is detained in relation to a non-bailable offense. While another senator cannot be found, as in fact, his whereabouts appear to be unknown since May 11, 2026,” it reads.
“As such, they were excluded from the count of the members used to determine quorum.” | 📷: IBP