Malacañang on Tuesday, June 2, said senators should not have skipped Monday’s plenary session following the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, stressing that lawmakers should continue performing their legislative duties despite the controversy.

“Hindi naman kinakailangan na hindi magtrabaho kahapon,” Castro said.

“Maski na ang paghatid at pagsama kay Sen. Jinggoy Estrada bilang isang kaibigan ay nararapat lamang, pero hindi kinakailangan talikuran ang sariling mandato para lang sa ganitong klaseng isyu,” she added.

This came after members of the Senate majority bloc were absent during the June 1 session following Estrada’s arrest.

Only members of the minority bloc were present during the session, prompting criticism from opposition senators, who described the absence of the majority as a “boycott of duty” that disrupted plenary proceedings and delayed legislative action on pending measures.

Estrada voluntarily surrendered to the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group ((PNP-CIDG) on Monday following the issuance of a second warrant of arrest by the Sandiganbayan in connection with a non-bailable plunder case over alleged irregularities in flood control projects.