As he continued to insist on Monday on being Senate president, Alan Peter Cayetano noted that there were already two upper chambers – ‘the Senate of the Philippines and the Senate of Malacañang.’
According to Cayetano, Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian rejected his proposal of an interim setup, under which both of them would sign Senate documents without their designations.
‘I sent him a letter to talk with [Senate Secretary Rey Bantug], and we offered, if Senator Win would like, that we would both sign [documents] even without designation. But because they don’t like to agree, there are two Senates now. You have the Senate of the Philippines, and you have the Senate of Malacañang,’ Cayetano said in a mix of English and Filipino in a press conference.
According to the senator, Gatchalian’s response to his proposal maintained that there had been a change in leadership and that it would be better to do the necessary turnover.
However, Cayetano contended that Gatchalian is not really the Senate president pro tempore, reiterating the lack of a quorum during the latter’s election.
Cayetano also criticized the Senate blue ribbon meeting held by its chairperson Sen. Erwin Tulfo – a chairmanship unrecognized by the Cayetano bloc.
He called the earlier meeting ‘the biggest cover-up committee hearing of our generation,’ alleging that the panel, under Tulfo’s leadership, aims to acquit high officials of the country.
Meanwhile, the blue ribbon panel under his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, is ‘seeking the truth,’ he added.
Inquirer reached out to Tulfo and Gatchalian, but they have yet to reply, as of this writing.