Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano faces the media during a brief press conference at the Senate on Thursday, May 14, stating he will hold a full press briefing later this afternoon regarding last night’s gunfire incident, the impeachment issue, and other matters.
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE - CAYETANO

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATED) — Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday challenged members of the Senate minority bloc to defend the chamber’s independence amid escalating political tensions and the arrest of a sitting senator facing plunder charges.</p><p>In a statement posted on Facebook, Cayetano called on the 11-member minority bloc to reject any attempt to use legal cases or political pressure to influence the Senate’s internal affairs.</p><p>“To my colleagues in the Minority: The Senate is a co-equal branch of government. It is not a prize to be claimed by anyone. Events of the past few days may have blurred this distinction, but what happened with one of our colleagues today brings it sharply back into focus,” Cayetano said. </p><p>“So I put one question to you, not as the majority but as the chamber: will you stand for the Senate’s independence?” Cayetano added.</p><p>Cayetano’s remarks came after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued a warrant of arrest against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada over a non-bailable plunder case linked to the alleged P573-million flood control kickback scheme. </p><p>Estrada later surrendered to authorities at the Senate.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/jinggoy-estrada-to-stay-with-majority-won-t-get-salary-after-fresh-warrant-1610"><strong>&#x27;I will not yield to threats&#x27;: Jinggoy Estrada links plunder case to Senate allegiance</strong></a></div><p>The anti-graft court ordered Estrada’s arrest days after he posted bail in a separate graft case arising from the same investigation. </p><p>Estrada has denied the allegations and has sought the dismissal of the charges.</p><p>Earlier Monday, Estrada claimed that the cases filed against him were allegedly being used to pressure him into leaving the majority bloc and joining the minority. </p><p>“Ngayon ko lang ito isasapubliko ito: Maraming beses akong inalok na talikuran ang independent majority bloc kapalit ang pagbabasura sa aking kaso, ngunit hindi ko ito tinanggap. Mas nanaig ang paninindigan ako na manatili sa hanay ng mga kasamahan ko sa independent majority bloc,” he said in a press conference on Monday. </p><p>Asked whether the Office of the Ombudsman would respond to Estrada’s allegation that he had been repeatedly asked to leave the Senate Majority in exchange for the dismissal of cases against him, Ombudsman spokesperson Mico Clavano stressed that accountability and politics should never be intertwined.</p><p>“Hindi dapat kailanman pinaghahalo ang pananagutan at pulitika,” Clavano said.</p><p>“Kung may mga taong nagtatangkang palabuin ang linya sa pagitan ng dalawang ito, dapat din silang panagutin. Walang sinumang pwedeng magdesisyon sa ngalan ng Ombudsman pagdating sa mga nakabinbing kaso, dahil ang paggawa nito ay maituturing ding isang uri ng korapsyon,” Clavano added. </p><p>He said the cases against Estrada have long been under investigation and that the proceedings have been conducted transparently.</p><p>“Matagal nang iniimbestigahan ang mga kasong ito. Sa katunayan, isinasapubliko naman ang bawat hakbang ng proseso,” he said.</p><p> Cayetano, meanwhile, warned against treating legal cases or Senate positions as &quot;bargaining tools.&quot;</p><p>“The independence of this institution, and the legal standing of any of its members, are not currencies. The day they become things to be traded is the day that the Senate is diminished. And after the Senate, the Republic,” he said.</p><p>Cayetano said disagreements over Senate leadership should be resolved within the institution itself, adding that the chamber should answer only to the Filipino people and not to outside political forces.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/senate-minority-still-at-11-members-two-senators-short-for-leadership-change-1355"><strong>Senate minority still at 11 members, two senators short for leadership change</strong></a></div><p>“That we differ on the leadership of the Senate is not in question. And it is a fair point of discussion. But no matter our disagreements, we must all agree that it is the Senate’s own business to settle,” he said.</p><p>He also urged minority senators to join what he described as a collective effort to protect the chamber’s autonomy.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/30/cayetano-denies-railroading-claims-warns-of-alleged-senate-destabilization-2036"><strong>Cayetano denies railroading Senate rules change, warns of alleged &#x27;Senate destabilization&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>“The door is open. What you do with it is yours to answer — to this institution, and to the people watching it,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RULE OF LAW</strong></div><p>Minority bloc senators, however, believe the arrest of Estrada adhered to law. </p><p>Asked if there was political maneuvering against Estrada, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian replied, “It’s the rule of law.”</p><p>This was the same sentiment of Senator Raffy Tulfo, who said the rule of law prevailed on Estrada’s case.</p><p>The brother of Estrada, Senator JV Ejercito, said he was saddened by the arrest. </p><p>“Bilang kapatid, bilang kasama, nalulungkot ako sa nangyayari sieympre sa kanya, sa kanyang pamilya pero sabi ko nga bilang lingkod baya ay kailangan hayaan nating umusad ang batas, kailangang malaman ang buong katotohanan at manaig ang hustisya. That’s the bottomline,” Ejercito said. “Pinagdarasal natin siya na maging matatag para harapin yung akusasyon, para harapin yung mga darating pa.” </p><p>“Mahirap timbangin pero siyempre may pananagutan din ako dahil ako ay halal ng taumbayan kaya siyempre kailangan hayaan natin ang batas na umusad,” he added. </p><p>Ejercito also said he is not aware of any supposed threats on Estrada. </p><p>He said he is saddened with all the controversies hounding the Senate and hopes the integrity of the institution will be saved.</p><p>The Senate minority bloc walked walked out of the plenary session on Tuesday last week after an alleged railroading attempt to to change the Senate rules to allow electronic voting.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/minority-senators-walk-out-after-clash-on-electronic-voting-rule-discussion-1956">Minority senators walk out after clash on electronic voting rule discussion</a></div><p>Meanwhile, no senator from the majority bloc attended the scheduled plenary session on Monday, after Estrada&#x27;s arrest. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/senate-majority-no-show-in-supposed-monday-session-2005">Senate majority no show in supposed Monday session</a></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8uEqjQHNlY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday challenged members of the Senate minority bloc to defend the chamber’s independence amid escalating political tensions and the arrest of a sitting senator facing plunder charges.</p>

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday challenged members of the Senate minority bloc to defend the chamber’s independence amid escalating political tensions and the arrest of a sitting senator facing plunder charges.

Cayetano wants Senate minority to defend chamber’s independence amid Estrada arrest

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Cayetano wants Senate minority to defend chamber’s independence amid Estrada arrest

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 01, 2026 08:19 PM PHT

|

Updated June 01, 2026 08:27 PM PHT

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Senate

Alan Peter Cayetano

Estrada

Majority bloc

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