Negros Occidental 1st District Rep. Jules Ledesma IV is appealing to local government officials in the province to declare Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano persona non grata amid the ongoing controversy and leadership tensions in the Senate.
In a Facebook post, Ledesma criticized Cayetano over the recent developments in the upper chamber, saying the continued political turmoil has damaged the image and credibility of the institution.
The lawmaker also described Cayetano as an embarrassment to Congress, citing his past role as a member of the House of Representatives and the current situation unfolding in the Senate.
Ledesma said he intends to push for the persona non grata declaration across the province of Negros Occidental, particularly within the 1st District, which covers San Carlos City, Escalante City, the municipalities of Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto, and Toboso. The district reportedly has more than 261,000 registered voters.
The issue also revived discussions surrounding the 2020 leadership dispute in the House of Representatives, when Cayetano refused to immediately step down as Speaker under a term-sharing agreement, eventually leading to the installation of then-Representative Lord Allan Velasco as House Speaker.
The latest call against Cayetano comes as political tensions continue to intensify over recent leadership changes and divisions within the Senate.
