The Senate majority bloc will skip plenary sessions following a walkout by minority senators during a vote on a proposal allowing online participation in the chamber on May 26, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said.

In a Facebook Live stream on Tuesday, June 2, Cayetano said the move was a response to what he described as a parliamentary tactic used by the minority bloc to prevent changes to Senate rules.

He alleged that the minority senators were attempting to overturn the chamber’s leadership structure, including moves that could affect the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, in an effort to block its scheduled hearing on Thursday.

“Ginamit nila yung parliamentary tool na walkout para hindi matuloy ang pag-change ng rules. So ngayon po, ang majority ginagamit din po yung rules sa tama, morally and legally, to ensure na hindi agawin ang mga committees para po matuloy ang hearing ng Blue Ribbon sa Thursday at ang iba’t iba pang mga importanteng hearing sa bawat committee,” Cayetano said.

The Senate leadership has not yet issued additional details on how plenary work will proceed amid the boycott.