Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano maintained on Wednesday that he remains the "legitimate, legal, moral" Senate President, citing the lack of quorum with only 12 senators present.
In a Facebook Live on Wednesday, June 3, Cayetano asserted that he continues to hold the position and questioned the legality of the developments that led to the appointment of Senator Win Gatchalian as Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore, after the upper chamber declared a quorum upon the arrival of majority senator Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
“Let's all reflect on this and pray. But tomorrow, the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing will push through,“ Cayetano said.
“I am still the legitimate, legal, moral Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines,” he emphasized.
Cayetano insisted that 13 votes are still required for a legitimate change in the Senate leadership.
He said that only 12 senators were present in the plenary when what he described as an “illegal coup” took place, arguing that the changes in leadership were not valid.
"This is an illegal coup d'état na may kasamang pagbabasura ng ating Konstitusyon. I warned everyone about this from day one," he said during a Facebook Live.
“So dose pa rin po ngayon ay pang-oonse pa rin po. Sa ating Konstitusyon, sa ating Rules of the Senate, kailangan pong trese. 'Di po kami nagpipilit sa kapangyarihan. I can go as Senate President even as senator anytime,” he added.
He said that “there were still functioning committees,“ that they had to hear the testimonies, and that they had also invited those who carried out what had happened on Wednesday.
“There are still functioning committees. We have to hear the testimonies. We have also invited those who carried out what happened today," he said.
"You can try to stop us, but you will be stopping the Filipino people,” Cayetano added.
The senator also announced that the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged flood control scandal would proceed as scheduled on June 3.
His statement contradicts the position of newly elected Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Senator Erwin Tulfo regarding the conduct of the hearing.
