Senate majority accused of holding legislation hostage after walkout over Estrada arrest

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the majority bloc's boycott of the Senate session on Monday sought to hold legislation hostage over the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. The majority bloc members did not attend Monday's regular session to protest what it described as an attack on Senate independence following Estrada's arrest over plunder charges related to his alleged involvement in the flood control fund scandal. The minority bloc, in a joint statement Monday evening, said the issue was not about Senate independence but about the majority's boycott of duty. Lacson said what happened Monday was not a case of standing up for the Senate's independence but "plain and simple dereliction of duty by the majority bloc led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. "Standing up for the Senate’s independence does not place SP Cayetano and any senator above the law. It has nothing to do with non-adherence to the rule of law," Lacson wrote on X on Tuesday. "Dereliction of duty will not solve this partisan gridlock. Its sole purpose is to hold legislation hostage," he added.

Go to News Site