The Palace on Tuesday said it does not see any constitutional crisis amid the ongoing leadership dispute in the Senate, stressing that the executive branch continues to recognize a single Senate leadership.

“Sa mata po ng Malacañang, sa mata po ng ehekutibo, wala po tayong matatawag na constitutional crisis,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said during a press briefing on June 9.

Castro reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recognizes only one Senate of the Philippines, led by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as the acting Senate President amid the internal conflict within the upper chamber.

She added that the administration’s position is clear: “Malinaw po ang sinabi, ang sinusuportahan po at ang nirerecognize ng liderato ay ang liderato po ni Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.”

According to Castro, any tensions over the holding of a special session should be resolved within the Senate itself.

“Kaya nga po diyan magkakaroon ng problema, hindi sa parteng ehekutibo, kundi sa parte ng Senado,” she said.

“Hindi po sila dapat nagkakaroon ng gulo diyan, kung sino po ang nirecognize dapat matanggap na po ng kabilang panig,” Castro added.

The dispute was highlighted after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano earlier claimed that there are effectively “two Senates” operating in the country.

“Dalawa ang Senado natin ngayon. You have the Senate of the Philippines and you have the Senate of Malacañang,” Cayetano said.

Malacañang rejected this characterization, with Castro emphasizing that the President has made it clear there is only one upper chamber: the Senate of the Philippines, led by Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.

“The President said there’s only one upper chamber, and it is the Senate of the Philippines led by acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian,” Castro said.