A private school teacher has asked the Supreme Court to step into the widening Senate leadership dispute and rule on the validity of the 12-senator quorum that led to the challenge against the Senate presidency of Alan Peter Cayetano.
John Barry Tayam, 30, reportedly filed the petition as questions continue to mount over whether the Senate validly convened when 12 senators declared a quorum, reorganized the chamber, and installed Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President.
Tayam said he brought the matter to the High Court because the dispute has caused confusion not only among senators, but also among the public, legal commentators, and social media users.
“Kasi nagkakagulo eh, pati iyong mga tao sa social media, pati iyong ibang mga legal expert, nakakagulo sila. Nasa Supreme Court naman iyong final say,” Tayam said.
He added that his petition was driven by the need to restore order in the Senate, saying the leadership row has affected the chamber’s ability to act on pending legislation.
“Ang motivation ko sana maayos na Senate kasi sila iyong nakakapigil ng mga dapat umusog na batas,” he said.
The petition comes after 12 senators relied on the 1949 Supreme Court ruling in Avelino v. Cuenco to justify the quorum, arguing that Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Jinggoy Estrada were outside the Senate’s coercive power. Dela Rosa has been out of public view amid an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, while Estrada is detained on plunder charges.
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said the Gatchalian-led reorganization is presumed valid unless the Supreme Court rules otherwise. He said the dispute may be elevated to the High Court to settle conflicting interpretations of the Constitution and Senate rules.
Cayetano and his allies have rejected the leadership change, insisting that 13 senators, or a majority of the 24-member chamber, are needed to elect Senate officers. The opposing bloc, however, maintains that 12 senators were enough based on the number of senators physically available and within the Senate’s control.
The Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling on the leadership dispute. Until then, the row leaves the Senate facing competing claims of authority at a critical time, with the chamber expected to handle pending legislation, investigations, and the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.