TOKYO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Friday (May 30) said he “watched with horror” the events that had rocked the Senate over the past three weeks, including the May 13 shooting incident, which he described as “fake.”
He also noted how “the discourse had gone shallow” in the chamber, with the differences in views becoming “personal,” if compared to the time when he was a senator himself.
In an interview with Filipino journalists here, Marcos spoke publicly for the first time, and with a rare show of candor, about the recent developments in the Senate as he wrapped up his four-day state visit to Japan.
He recalled watching former Senate President Franklin Drilon making a comment about the situation. ‘He (Drilon) said, how did it happen here? The Senate is now sheltering fugitives from justice,” Marcos said.
“How did that happen? I don’t understand how a Senate is supposed to function if those are the kind of things that the Senate is embroiled in,” he added.
“The discourse had gone shallow … [They’ve] even reached the point of having a shooting, which turned out to be fake. Nothing like that happened during my time in the Senate,” he added.
Marcos served one term as senator from 2010 to 2016.
“I watched with horror that the Senate has become [like] this. I would often exchange looks with [Executive Secretary] Ralph [Recto],” the President said, noting that issues sowing divisions among its members have turned “personal.”
Marcos recalled that during his time, senators may disagree on issues and floor interpellations were tough, “but afterwards we will have coffee and eat together. It’s not personal, it’s about work. It’s not about personalities.”
“I never imagined that the Senate would descend into this kind of …. what’s happening right now. I hope they figure it out soon. I really do,” he added.
Marcos was referring to a series of incidents that started on May 11, when Sen Ronald dela Rosa evaded agents of the National Bureau of Investigation who made an attempt to serve a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC has named Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, as one of the alleged “coperpetrators” of former President Rodrigo Duterte in his so-called war on drugs that left thousands dead.
The senator, after being absent for six months, showed up at the Senate to cast his vote for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president. As a new majority bloc emerged, the leadership under Cayetano then provided him “protective custody” for three days.
On May 13, a shooting incident erupted between personnel of the Senate’s Office of Sergeant-at-Arms and one of the NBI agents who were called to the adjacent building occupied by the Government Service Insurance System earlier that day to beef up security measures.
Hours after the shooting, Dela Rosa left the Senate building onboard the vehicle belonging to one of his allies, Sen Robinhood Padilla.
Authorities have since conducted manhunt operations in Paranaque City and the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga but failed to arrest Dela Rosa. Meanwhile, the police have filed a complaint for obstruction of justice against Padilla for helping Dela Rosa 'escape'.
On the night of May 26 members of the minority bloc walked out of the Senate session hall to protest what they called an attempt of the majority to railroad the approval of a proposal to allow a senator to vote in sessions remotely or online even during nonemergency situations.
The proposal aroused suspicions that it was linked to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte that is set to begin July 6. Before the walkout of the minority members, Sen Erwin Tulfo, asked pointblank whether it was for the benefit of Dela Rosa and other known Duterte allies in the chamber, particularly those reportedly facing charges and arrest in connection with the public works corruption scandal.
On Friday, Sen Jose 'Jinggoy' Estrada, a member of the majority, posted a P90,000 bail at the Sandiganbayan for a graft case stemming from alleged kickback schemes and budget insertions in flood control projects.
Meanwhile, Marcos’ sister, Sen Imee Marcos, has branded the attacks on members of the majority bloc as “political persecution.”
“It is about the desperation of the administration to hold on to power,” Senator Marcos said.
In the Tokyo interview on Friday, the President said the cases stemming from the corruption scandal already existed even before the formation of a new majority bloc in the Senate.
“If you look at it, they weren’t the majority then. So, that doesn’t apply,” he said
“These are still the people whose names appeared in […] based on the testimonies to the blue ribbon committee.”
Three more members of the majority bloc—Senators Rodante Marcoleta, Francis Escudero and Joel Villanueva — are being investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman for possible plunder and other charges.
Also on Friday, Sen Panfilo Lacson said senator-judges in the Duterte impeachment trial who are facing arrest or detention may still participate in the proceedings without resorting to online attendance or voting.
“What can be done in that situation, if someone is in detention, is to obtain leave of court,” Lacson said.
He added that proposals to amend the Senate rules to allow remote participation should undergo the proper process instead of being rushed.
Marcos himself said he “disagrees” with allowing senators to vote online, saying this arrangement was only acceptable during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He stressed that if Dela Rosa wants to vote, then he should personally show up.
“For someone who is actually a fugitive from justice, who is wanted by the police, who is wanted by Interpol and has an arrest warrant from the ICC, I don’t think he should vote until he gets to the Senate,” he said.
The Justice Reform Initiative (JRI), meanwhile, said the chamber’s rules on attendance, quorum, deliberation and voting are “not mere administrative details” but are guardrails meant to protect the legitimacy of Senate action.
In a statement on Friday, JRI, a coalition of business and civil society groups, said the online voting row has become consequential ahead of Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“Rule changes affecting impeachment proceedings cannot be made through regular plenary amendments. Any attempt to circumvent this violates the constitutional framework governing impeachment,” it said.
“This is not the moment for procedural improvisation,” it added. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
