A civil society watch initiative has been launched to monitor the Senate as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte approaches, with its convenor warning that the chamber belongs to the Filipino people and should not be held hostage, allegedly by powerful figures seeking to retain control.
Public interest lawyer and Team Pinas convenor, Atty. Dino de Leon said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City that Bantay Senado was created after civil society groups saw what he described as an attempt to hijack the Senate and weaken democratic institutions.
“Kami sa civil society naman, kung natatandaan ninyo, we launched Bantay Senado last Monday. Kasi nakikita po namin na itong Senado ay hini-hijack ng ilang taong makapangyarihan na binababoy ang ating mga institution,” De Leon alleged.
De Leon said the initiative is grounded on the principle that the Senate is a public institution and not the personal domain of any senator or political bloc, especially as it prepares to sit as an impeachment court.
“So sabi namin, let’s remember that the Senate is the Senate of the people. Senado po natin ‘yan, hindi po ‘yan Senado ni Alan Peter Cayetano,” De Leon stressed.
With the Senate still facing competing claims of leadership following the June 3 quorum and leadership vote, De Leon said the public must remain vigilant because political authority cannot be created through mere assertion or self-proclamation.
“So magbabantay po kami, magmamatyag, at saka sa amin kahit naman po sino, kahit ako po siguro, baka puwede ako pupunta sa Senado bukas, sabihin ko ako ang Senate President. But does that have constitutional effect? Does that have legal effect?” De Leon asked.
He said recognition by co-equal branches is important in the actual functioning of government, arguing that no one can simply claim the Senate presidency without being recognized by the institutions that must officially deal with the chamber.
“Am I recognized by my co-equal branches in government, specifically the House of Representatives and the Executive, who are the political departments that will have to deal with me? Sa LEDAC po ba puwede pumunta lang doon si Alan Peter at sabihin na ako ang Senate President?” De Leon said.
De Leon said the same principle applies beyond domestic politics, noting that authority in organized systems requires recognition and cannot rely on insistence alone.
“Hindi naman puwede. Puwede ba ako mapunta doon sabihin ko ako ang Senate President? Even in international relations, a state cannot just assert itself,” De Leon pointed out.
“It has to be recognized by the international community. In our particular instance, your leadership must be recognized by your co-equal branches of government,” De Leon added.
He also disputed Cayetano’s position that 13 votes are required to replace him, saying the former Senate president no longer has enough numbers to sustain his leadership in the plenary.
“Ano ba ang malinaw dito? And babalik lang tayo kasi alam ko naman, tumatalino tayo, alam na natin dati ibig sabihin ng forthwith, alam na natin ngayon Avelino vs. Cuenco,” De Leon said.
“In any permutation and combination, Alan Peter Cayetano, wala ka ng majority. Kasi kung meron kang majority, eh dalhin mo sa plenaryo yung warm bodies mo,” De Leon added.
According to De Leon, the test is practical and visible: if Cayetano still has the majority, he should be able to bring the senators who support him to the Senate floor and prove it to the public.
“Pero the fact of the matter is in any permutation and combination, ang kaya mo nang dalhin sa plenaryo, sampu. So ang tanong ko, “How can 10 be more than 12?” De Leon asked.
“So kung very confident ka na ikaw ang Senate President, bring the warm bodies of your supporters in the Senate floor,” De Leon added.
De Leon said Cayetano’s camp is correct in saying that 13 votes are needed to elect a Senate president, but he argued that the same number is not required to remove him if a quorum exists and the majority acts to declare all seats vacant.
“So ang malinaw dito ngayon, sabi ninyo, it takes 13 to elect a Senate President. You are right, but it doesn’t take 13 to remove you,” De Leon explained.
“It takes a simple act of a majority who has the quorum and can actually declare all seats vacant. So you are no longer Senate President,” De Leon added.
The Team Pinas convenor then challenged Cayetano to prove his claim of continuing authority by bringing 13 senators to the plenary instead of asserting leadership through public declarations.
“If you want to remain in power, I challenge you in any session, kahit sa Monday, bring 13 warm bodies of your supporters who are senators on the Senate floor. And then we will all shut up,” De Leon stated.
“Pero kung 10 ka lang, hindi ko alam kung saan mo kinukuha ’yung kapal ng mukha mo para sabihin na ikaw pa rin ang Senate President. Eh, 10 lang naman ang supporters mo,” De Leon added.
De Leon said the numbers in the Senate were already clear, while suggesting that the situation could still change as the chamber enters the next phase of the leadership dispute and the impeachment proceedings.
“Yung 12 po malinaw na doon, eh baka nga maging siyam pa. Tingnan natin ang mga susunod na kabanata sa Senate teleserye,” De Leon said.