Nyl

[ABS-CBN News @ABSCBNNews]

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines says the Senate session last June 3, 2026, when a quorum of 12 was constituted, is lawful and valid.

[Nico B. Valderrama @nbvneverquits]

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.

[AltIndayBadiday @AltIndayBadiday]

"Yung number 1 ingredient ng leadership aside from character is you show up in the most difficult times. Kapag hindi ka nag-show up in the most difficult times, hindi ka leader." - Leni Robredo

Davah?!?!

[Coco @_dacoconutnut]

Nakakatawa yung nanawagan si Cayetano ng prayer vigil sa Senado. Teh kahit ang diyos hindi ka sisiputin. Kilabutan ka nga. 😩

[Nikki Verder @welverder]

What I’m extremely happy about is that key committee chairmanships are now back in the hands of senators who truly deserve them.

Sen. Bam Aquino – Basic Education
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan – Agriculture
Sen. Risa Hontiveros – Health

We’re back!!! 🌸

[Torey Canino-Celis @tj_canino]

🚨JUST IN: RETURNING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS:

• Sen. Risa Hontiveros — Health
• Sen. Kiko Pangilinan — Agriculture
• Sen. Bam Aquino — Basic Education

THANK YOU, LORD! 💚💖

[Torey Canino-Celis @tj_canino]

naiiyak ako for the minority kasi need talaga maibalik sa kanila ang chairmanships na 'yun huhu hindi pa tapos ang laban ✊💖💚

[ABS-CBN News @ABSCBNNews]

Senator Francis Escudero explains why he showed up at today's plenary session. | via @RG_Cruz12479

[Karen Davila @iamkarendavila]

What a stealth move.

A quorum made possible with Sen Chiz Escudero’s surprise appearance.

What happens now to SP Alan Cayetano’s leadership with these new committee chairmanships?

At least today, the senate can have some work done before ‘sine die’.

[ABS-CBN News @ABSCBNNews]

BREAKING: Senate declares quorum.

[Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 @jesusfalcis]

🚨BREAKING NEWS: Senator Chiz Escudero arrived and attends the Senate session.

Audible claps from both Senators and the gallery are heard!

Win Gatchalian is Presiding Officer.

🙀

[marv @mvn_dn]

“Si Alan Peter Cayetano palakulin mo man yung mukha baka tatalbog lang yung palakol sa kapal ng mukha” HELP 😭

[JC Punongbarangay @jcpunongbrgy]

😂😂😂

[Win Gatchalian @WinGatchalian74]

Sayang ang ipinapasahod ng taong-bayan kung hindi nagagamit ang oras ng Senado para sa trabaho.

Humigit-kumulang ₱25 milyon ang ginagastos kada araw sa operasyon ng Senado para sa kuryente, utilities, pasahod, at iba pang pangangailangan.

Kapag walang sesyon, walang batas o resolusyong maipapasa. Maaantala rin ang kumpirmasyon ng ating military personnel.

[NewsWatch Plus PH @newswatchplusph]

‘SENATE PRESIDENT ALAN PETER CAYETANO SHOULD RESIGN’

BREAKING: The Senate minority bloc demands Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s resignation following the majority senators’ no-show at the session for the second consecutive day today. | @eimorpsantos

[Kiko Pangilinan @kikopangilinan]

SOLID BLOC 11: ALAN PETER CAYETANO RESIGN!

What happened today was a clear abandonment of responsibility, a dereliction of duty, and a blatant disregard of the rules that govern this institution, because the Senate cannot be made to stop working simply because its presiding officer refuses to lead.

Under Rule XIV, Sec. 41 of the Rules of the Senate, the Senate President may postpone the holding of the session AFTER consultation with the Majority Leader AND the Minority Leader. That rule was violated. This is not merely a procedural lapse—it is a direct violation of the Rules of the Senate and a serious disrespect for the institution and the Filipino people.

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano SHOULD RESIGN as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate.

[Karen Davila @iamkarendavila]

Absolute disrespect for the Filipino people. What entitlement.

Mag-boycott tayo.
Huwag mag trabaho.
Hayaan natin ang mga nakabinbing panukala.

Mga senador, binabayaran kayo ng taumbayan. Pambabastos ito sa Pilipino.

[Karen Davila @iamkarendavila]

Senators were seen crying yesterday as a colleague was being arrested for plunder.

This is in no way an indictment of the accused senator but I would like to remind our lawmakers…

Iyakan n’yo ang ninanakawang Pilipino.
Iyakan n’yo ang binabaha dahil sa nakawan sa flood control.
Iyakan n’yo ang gutom nating mga kababayan.

Get out of your bubble. Please.

[Deity 🎀 @alx_deity]

wala bang gdm dyan for lex, paampon naman HAHAHAHABABABA di ako nireplyan nung ano e

[Ann🍒 @_annferrer]

hindi ko kinaya yung first pic pero mas diko pala kakayanin yung 2nd pic na pa-headlock ni @alexailacad kay gelo waAaaHhhh miss u both!!😭 #GELEX