WALK OUT

MEMBERS of the Minority Bloc on Tuesday night walked out from the Senate plenary hall following  an argument over a motion to allow virtual participation in sessions.

The Majority insisted on discussing Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s proposal to amend the Senate Rules to allow senators to vote offsite through electronic platforms.

The Majority Bloc is headed by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

On May 11, Marcoleta proposed to insert a new paragraph (c) under Section 41, which reads: “Allow a senator for justifiable reasons to attend and participate in the session through teleconference, video conference, or other reliable forms of remote or electronic means, using appropriate information and communications technology.”

Under current Senate Rules, senators are required  to be physically present in the Senate session hall to participate and vote. 

They are only allowed to convene and hold the session through teleconference, video conference or other reliable forms of remote or electronic means, using appropriate information and communications technology systems due to force majeure or the occurrence of a national emergency as determined by the majority of all the members of the Senate.

Marcoleta formalized the proposal on May 11 or the day Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa surfaced after being absent for six months.

Dela Rosa went back into hiding two days after he was placed on “protective custody” by newly-elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano  amid a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands over alleged crimes against humanity.

On Tuesday night, Sen. Erwin Tulfo questioned the motive and method of the Majority to approve Marcoleta’s motion.

“Why are we in such a hurry, why are they, the Majority, in a hurry to tackle this motion and divide the House? We need answers. Or is it because they’re in a hurry because of news reports that probably two of our colleagues might land in jail this weekend? Is that the reason why? Para makaboto po kung sinuman ang makukulong dahil sa announcement ng Ombudsman na mailalabas na ang warrant sa ilan nating mga kasamahan?” Tulfo asked.

Earlier, the Office of the Ombudsman announced that senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva could be facing plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan in relation to alleged anomalous flood control projects.

The Minority condemned what they said appeared 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 questions on the floor.

Zubiri started rounding up his colleagues from the Minority, yelling: “Let’s go! let’s go! We will not participate in this debate anymore!”

Zubiri and senators Bam Aquino, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Sherwin Gatchalian, Panfilo Lacson, JV Ejercito and Erwin Tulfo walked out of the plenary.

Senators Raffy Tulfo and Lito Lapid were no longer in the session hall at the time of the walkout while Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III stayed to argue that the plenary no longer has a quorum and should therefore be adjourned.

The walkout resulted in a lack of a quorum, forcing Legarda, who was then the presiding officer, to suspend the session.

It can be recalled that it was also Marcoleta who moved for Senate’s dismissal of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

On May 13, 2026, the House of Representatives transmitted the Articles of Impeachment  against the vice president following an overwhelming 257-25 vote on May 11.

The impeachment trial proper is set to begin on July 6, 2026, wherein the senators will sit as judges in the impeachment court.