Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian dismissed Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s power-sharing proposal on Tuesday. He insisted that the June 3 leadership changes were valid and left no room for a dual-authority setup.
In an interview on DZRH, Gatchalian said it was clear who was elected Senate President pro tempore and designated as acting Senate President during the June 3 session. “In the June 3 session, it was clear who was elected Senate President pro tempore and who was designated as acting Senate President,” he said. The dispute began on June 3 when 12 senators formed a quorum and declared all positions vacant. Gatchalian was installed as acting Senate President. Cayetano continues to assert that he remains Senate President. Palace press officer Claire Castro urged senators to settle their dispute before the President calls a special session. Malacañang recognizes Gatchalian’s leadership and said there is no constitutional crisis.
