The Senate bloc led by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday criticized what it called a \u201cbogus hearing\u201d of the Blue Ribbon committee, saying senators should return to regular work instead of engaging in unauthorized proceedings.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the bloc said the Senate must focus on its constitutional mandate to check abuses and pass laws for public welfare, as it urged the group led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to respect the chamber\u2019s rules, quorum and newly constituted leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Filipino people deserve senators who show up for work, not for drama,\u201d the bloc said.<\/p>\n
The majority bloc said there were no official Senate hearings scheduled for Thursday morning, citing Gatchalian’s earlier statement that any proceeding called by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Robinhood Padilla and Rodante Marcoleta had no basis in Senate rules, the legislative calendar, or established authority.<\/p>\n
It said the senators behind the gathering had refused to attend legitimately called sessions but later moved to hold what it described as an unofficial and unauthorized activity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have refused to attend legitimately called sessions. Now, they are grandstanding in an unofficial and unauthorized gathering,\u201d the bloc said.<\/p>\n
The group also raised concerns over reports that Senate employees were being threatened with legal action if they did not follow instructions from the Cayetano bloc.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are civil servants who are simply trying to do their jobs in accordance with the law and the duly constituted leadership of the Senate,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
The majority bloc described the supposed hearing as a \u201cnaked grab for power dressed up as \u2018inquiry\u2019 and \u2018oversight,\u2019\u201d saying it was meant to preserve positions already lost in what it called a valid and constitutional reorganization of the chamber.<\/p>\n
It said senators should instead attend sessions and work on measures that lower prices, create jobs, and protect farmers, workers, and vulnerable families.<\/p>\n
\u201cHindi dasurb (deserve) ng taumbayan ang ginagawa niyo. Dasurb ng nagpapasweldo sa atin, #TrabahoHindiDrama (The people do not deserve what you are doing. What those who pay our salaries deserve is work, not drama),” the bloc said.<\/p>\n
The statement came amid continuing tensions in the Senate following the leadership change that installed Gatchalian as acting Senate President and Sen. Erwin Tulfo as the new chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee.<\/p>\n
Gatchalian earlier said the Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the flood control probe had been rescheduled to June 8 to allow Tulfo to review the committee\u2019s work and evidence.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla denied trying to block two senators and 18 former soldiers from entering the Senate to attend the Blue Ribbon committee hearing.<\/p>\n
Remulla issued the denial after Sen. Pia Cayetano claimed that she and the resource persons for the flood control hearing were blocked on their way to the session hall.<\/p>\n
Videos showing Remulla being pushed by Sen. Robin Padilla have been circulating on social media, prompting some netizens to mock him.<\/p>\n
In an interview, Remulla said he had no intention of blocking the group led by Cayetano and Padilla.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was walking out when I was pushed aside,\u201d he said, noting that he was alone at the time.<\/p>\n
As this developed, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. clarified that the beefed-up security deployment at the Senate is strictly confined to the outer perimeter of the Senate complex to maintain public order amid calls for a vigil following renewed tensions.<\/p>\n
Nartatez said the measure is purely preventive and aimed at managing public assemblies outside the Senate grounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur deployment is strictly a proactive, external security measure meant to manage public assembly and ensure the safety of everyone,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe PNP will remain outside the complex to monitor protesters and maintain public order, as we fully respect the administrative autonomy and internal protocols of the Senate’s own security force,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Nartatez earlier ordered the deployment of additional police forces to the Senate complex as more people trooped to the area to hold protest actions. (PNA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Inilarawan ng grupo ni Gatchalian ang naturang pagdinig bilang hindi awtorisado at nanawagang bumalik sa regular na trabaho ang mga senador.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":258005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-258004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t