The Supreme Court junked high school teacher John Barry Tayam’s petition for alleged grave abuse of discretion against Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Loren Legarda, and Pia Cayetano, due to a lack of legal standing.
According to a press briefer released on Wednesday, June 10, Tayam failed to prove how he, as a private citizen, suffered or could potentially suffer direct injury from the actions of the respondents.
“The SC dismissed the petition filed by John Barry T. Tayam for lack of legal standing. The SC ruled that Tayam failed to show that he suffered, or was at imminent risk of suffering, any direct injury from the actions he challenged,” the High Court declared.
On June 5, Tayam filed a petition for certiorari, calling on the SC to declare Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian’s appointment as Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore legally valid and constitutional.
He reasoned that the Senate must soon be unified again, so that pending laws can be attended to. Moreover, complications may arise if the dispute remains unsettled by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Ang motivation ko sana, maayos na ‘yung Senate kasi sila ‘yung nakakapigil e, ng dapat umusad na mga batas. Tulad for example, sa House of Representatives, napasa na ‘yung Anti-Political Dynasty Bill. Kailangan natin ng version sa Senate, at kailangan din nating umusad ‘yung mga batas na importanteng makausad. At lalong-lalo na ngayon, magkakaroon ng SONA. Hindi na natin alam kung sinong nasa likod ni PBBM,” the teacher explained to reporters.
WATCH: Naghain ng petition for certiorari sa Korte Suprema si Teacher John Barry Tayam para tanungin ang kataas-taasang hukuman kung valid ba ang idineklarang quorum ng Senado kasunod nang nangyaring hindi pagkakasundo ng mga senador.
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) June 5, 2026
Ayon kay Tayam, mas magandang magmula sa… pic.twitter.com/L9EHA1BeXP
He alleged that the respondents—Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, as well as Legarda—exercised their authority with grave abuse of discretion.
He also pointed out that the Palace and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) have both recognized Acting Senate President Gatchalian’s leadership as legitimate.
The IBP said the Senate quorum that vacated all seats and inducted Gatchalian as its new Senate president pro tempore was a “lawful” and “valid” one, citing a Supreme Court decision on the 1949 Avelino vs. Cuenco case.
Moreover, on Tuesday, June 9, Malacañang said the executive branch will recognize only Gatchalian as the new head of the upper chamber of Congress.
“Sa mata po ng Malacañang, sa mata po ng ehekutibo, wala po tayong matatawag na constitutional crisis,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press briefing.
