Senator Franklin Drilon alleges that the majority bloc's absence from Senate sessions aims to prevent a leadership change that could impact the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, while calls for Senate President Cayetano's resignation grow and legal arguments over dismissal of the case emerge.
The ongoing political dynamics within the Philippine Senate have taken a dramatic turn, with the majority bloc's repeated absence from plenary sessions raising constitutional and procedural questions.
According to veteran Senator Franklin Drilon, speaking on dzBB Super Radyo, the core issue is the majority's attempt to forestall a potential shift in Senate leadership, which they fear could disrupt the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Drilon alleged that the senators aligned with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano are deliberately avoiding sessions to prevent a reorganization that might dilute their influence. He stated, Hindi nagsi-session dahil ayaw nila na baka mapalitan ang liderato ng Senado.
Kapag napalitan ang liderato, may epekto yan sa impeachment trial. The continuity of Cayetano's leadership, he explained, is directly tied to the composition and procedural posture of the impeachment court, scheduled to convene on July 6. Drilon further clarified that if the Senate adjourns without holding sessions, no leadership change occurs, ensuring that the current majority group, led by Cayetano, retains control over the trial's conduct.
The Senate's failure to convene for a second consecutive day on Tuesday intensified calls for accountability from the minority bloc. Minority senators have demanded the resignation of Senate President Cayetano, asserting that he "can no longer function" given the majority's boycott. Drilon dissected the majority's strategy, identifying two intertwined objectives.
First, he said, the primary motive for the session cancellations is to block any reorganization of the Senate, which could alter committee assignments and the overall power structure. Pangalawa, he added, kaya sinisikap na palitan ang rules sa attendance, ibig nila magkaroon ng kakayahan na bumoto kahit ikaw ay nasa labas ng bansa o kulungan.
This refers to proposed amendments to Senate rules on attendance and voting, aimed at cementing the majority's 13-vote bloc by allowing absentee voting, even for senators who are overseas or in detention. Drilon emphasized that maintaining this precise number is critical for the majority's plans regarding the impeachment trial, and they cannot achieve it without changing the existing rules. GMA News Online has reached out to Senate President Cayetano for comment and will publish his response once available.
Separately, Drilon addressed Vice President Duterte's recent public plea for the outright dismissal of her impeachment case, a call he deemed unconstitutional. He argued that the Senate, when it sits as an impeachment court, "has no power to dismiss the case" on its own accord, as that power is circumscribed by the Constitution and the process set by the transmitted Articles of Impeachment.
According to Drilon, any attempt by the Cayetano-led majority to unilaterally terminate the proceedings would be an abuse of discretion and could be immediately challenged before the Supreme Court. Puwedeng kwestiyonin sa Supreme Court at yan ay pang-aabuso ng kapangyarihan na puwedeng baguhin ng Korte Suprema, he stated. This legal stance underscores the potential for a high-stakes judicial review if the Senate majority pursues a dismissal without a full trial.
The context for this remark is the Vice President's formal filing of her answer to the Articles of Impeachment on Monday, through her legal counsel, which included a motion to dismiss the case. However, Drilon's position is that such a motion must be adjudicated following the Senate's established impeachment procedures, not influenced by external political pressure or the desire to avoid a potentially divisive trial.
The standoff thus reveals a deeper institutional crisis, where the majority's maneuvers to control leadership and rules are clashing with minority assertions of constitutional duty and the Vice President's own legal maneuvers, all setting the stage for a contentious impeachment process that may hinge as much on internal Senate politics as on the substantive charges
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