President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday expressed concern over recent developments in the Senate, including the debate on conducting remote participation and online voting by lawmakers, saying such arrangements should not be used to enable a senator who is facing legal troubles to take part in proceedings.
Marcos raised the issue in remarks where he questioned the applicability of remote voting arrangements, suggesting it should not be used to accommodate Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who he said is “hiding” and facing a warrant of arrest.
“It seems to only be applicable to Sen. Bato para makaboto si Sen. Bato dahil nagtatago siya,” Marcos said, speaking partly in Filipino.
The President added that, in his view, a person considered a fugitive from justice should not be allowed to participate in Senate voting remotely, particularly if that individual is being sought by authorities.
“Now, for someone who is actually a fugitive from justice na hinahanap ng pulis, na hinahanap ng Interpol at may arrest warrant galing sa ICC, palagay ko hindi siya dapat bumoto. Hangga't dumating siya doon sa Senado. Kung, he's willing to take the risk like he did the last time,” he said.
Marcos also criticized what he described as chaotic or unclear incidents in the chamber, saying such situations were unprecedented during his time as a senator.
“Narating pa tayo sa putukan, tapos fake pala yung putukan, tapos hindi ko maintindihan. Walang nangyayaring kagaya niyan noong panahon ko sa Senado," the President said.
"Of course, the only basis for comparison that I have is the time that I was in the Senate. And I never imagined that the Senate would descend into this kind of what's happening right now,” he added.
The remarks come amid ongoing debates in the Senate over participation rules, including the use of remote voting and questions surrounding attendance and discipline.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and former Senator Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III were previously part of the leadership transition referenced in discussions on Senate proceedings, including a session wherein Sen. dela Rosa reportedly appeared to vote after a long absence.
