Senator Alan Peter Cayetano accused the bloc led by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian of seeking to replace the Senate leadership in order to push the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte forward under terms favorable to their group's agenda.
Speaking in his Facebook live, Cayetano claimed the effort to reorganize the Senate leadership was primarily driven by a desire to control the pace and direction of the impeachment proceedings.
“So, huwag na tayo maglokohan. Yung kahapon, kasi may 13 na kayo, at gusto n'yong palitan ang Senate president, kasi gusto n'yo tuloy-tuloy na yung impeachment, at ang gusto n'yo, grupo n'yo ang magdikta ng tempo through impeachment. The presiding officer. That's been very clear to us from the start,” Cayetano said.
The senator further alleged that discussions regarding Senate leadership changes had already surfaced as early as February, when the possibility of installing Senator Loren Legarda as Senate president was reportedly raised.
Cayetano also claimed that impeachment was not the only concern of the opposing bloc, alleging that a larger objective was to divert attention from the alleged irregularities involving flood control projects.
“Noong February pa, noong ipu-pwesto natin si Senator Loren Legarda bilang Senate president, 'yun ang sinabi, hindi sila papayag dahil impeachment ang importante. Pero number two lang pala 'yung impeachment. Ang number one, 'yung cover-up dito po sa flood control at napakarami pang iba,” he said.
The remarks come amid ongoing political tensions in the Senate over leadership issues and the pending impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Duterte.
