MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos warned on Wednesday (June 3) that important laws may be derailed as senators backing Vice President Sara Duterte stopped attending sessions ahead of her impeachment trial next month.
Pro-Duterte lawmakers began a Senate boycott this week after losing majority control, with one lawmaker arrested for large-scale corruption and another in hiding to avoid arrest by the International Criminal Court.
"The legislature is now in disarray," Marcos told reporters.
"Get back to work because it's important; we have a lot of work to do... We have to pass a lot of laws."
Marcos said his team was looking at possible laws and amendments to aid Filipinos as the Middle East war sends shockwaves through the global economy.
"We are trying to achieve some form of stability so that people can go on with their lives and plan ahead for their future; so that people can count on the assistance of government during this time of an emergency," the president said.
"We cannot do that if the legislature decides to stay at home and have a vacation."
The Philippine Constitution states that the executive is co-equal to the legislature, limiting Marcos's options.
"We cannot tell them what to do; we cannot punish them for what they are doing. They have to regulate themselves. And they haven't been doing much of a good job right now," Marcos said.
Last month, the 13 lawmakers allied with Duterte took control of the 24-seat Senate just hours before the majority of the House of Representatives voted to impeach the vice president.
Four days later, Duterte ally Ronald Dela Rosa fled after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him.
Another pro-Duterte senator, Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, was arrested on Monday for allegedly receiving kickbacks worth more than 573 million pesos ($9.3 million) over a flood control project.
The resulting 11-11 deadlock means it is difficult to pass a bill into law unless senators cross party lines.
Duterte ally and Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano justified the boycott by saying the body is being "held by the throat" and that majority members are being eliminated.
The vice president's Senate impeachment trial is expected to begin on July 6. - AFP
