The minority bloc of the Senate has questioned what it calls a “rushed” process in amending the Senate rules. In a joint statement, they said: “We strongly condemn what appears to be an attempt to rush a major change in the Senate Rules, especially when several members of the minority still wanted to speak and raise serious questions on the floor.”
Walkout Over Remote Participation
The statement came after the minority bloc walked out on Tuesday, May 26, following a heated debate over proposed amendments to the Senate rules that would allow senators to attend and vote in plenary sessions through online or remote participation.
“We walked out because what happened on the floor looked less like orderly deliberation. The proposed rule change affects how senators may attend sessions, participate in proceedings and exercise their mandate through remote means, and such a measure should be opened to healthy public debate instead of being rushed by the tyranny of the majority,” the minority bloc said.
Proposal and Accusations of Railroading
The proposal was filed by Senator Rodante Marcoleta on May 11, aiming to allow “justifiable” remote attendance of Senate members. According to the minority bloc, the process of amending the rules is being rushed, and not all senators are given adequate opportunity to express their opinions.
In a statement shared on social media by Senator Kiko Pangilinan, the minority insisted that the matter should be subjected to broader discussion and should not be implemented hastily. “Is this rule change being rushed because they want Senator Bato to be able to vote? And now that there are reports that some majority senators may be arrested?” the minority asked.
The minority maintained that there appears to be “railroading” in the process and warned that it could affect fair participation of senators in lawmaking. Due to the walkout, the plenary failed to achieve a quorum, so the proposal was not pursued. The session was later adjourned and will resume on June 1.
