Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Article (news)

Sen. Panfilo Lacson

Carmelle Lacuata

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson maintained that the Senate presidency is vacant as he challenged other senators to address questions and issues in plenary instead of resorting to social media posts.Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who led his bloc in skipping plenary sessions and who says he remains Senate president, has frequently posted live videos on Facebook amid the impasse at the Senate.&quot;Kasi sa halip na pumasok siya — hinintay namin siya noong Lunes, hinintay namin siya kahapon, hinintay namin siya kanina, hindi naman siya pumapasok. So paano kami magdedebate na nasa Facebook siya, kami naman nasa plenaryo?&quot; he said in an interview on TV Patrol Wednesday.(Because instead of them attending the session — we waited for him last Monday, we waited for him yesterday, we waited for him earlier, he did not attend. So how are we going to discuss if he is on Facebook, while we are in the plenary?)&quot;Ang tamang venue para pagdebatehan namin, pati &#x27;yung pag-e-elect, kung meron silang issues, dito sa plenaryo, hindi sa Facebook,&quot; Lacson added.(The proper venue for a debate, even the question on the election, if there are issues, is here in the plenary, not on Facebook.)Lacson was referring to Cayetano and his allies, who have not been attending the plenary sessions since Monday.Cayetano has described what happened on Wednesday an &quot;illegal coup&quot; as he urged colleagues to &quot;correct their errors&quot;.<div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/-i-am-still-senate-president-cayetano-calls-senate-shake-up-an-illegal-coup-1720">&#x27;I am still Senate president&#x27;: Cayetano calls Senate shake-up an &#x27;illegal coup&#x27;</a></div>He said the 12 at the session hall earlier Wednesday were &quot;enough to declare all positions vacant, including that of the Senate president&quot; but acknowledged they need 13 to elect a Senate president.&quot;Maliwanag &#x27;yun. Bakante ang Senate presidency na position. Wala kaming Senate president, ang meron kami, acting Senate president by virtue of his being the Senate president pro tempore, si Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian,&quot; Lacson added.(That is clear. The Senate presidency is vacant. We do not have a Senate president, what we have is an acting Senate president, by virtue of his being the Senate president pro tempore, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.)<div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/senate-plenary-session-majority-minority-1501">Escudero breaks Senate impasse despite Cayetano group’s boycott; Gatchalian elected as Senate president pro tempore</a></div><div>IMPEACHMENT TO PUSH THROUGH ON JULY 6</div>When asked about the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Lacson said it will push through on July 6, regardless of the changes in the Senate leadership.&quot;Tuloy &#x27;yung July 6...&#x27;Yung presiding officer, kung sino &#x27;yung tumatayo o &#x27;yung acting president, or pwede kaming magdesignate kung sino &#x27;yung pwedeng magpreside doon sa mangyayaring impeachment trial sa July 6,&quot; he said.(It will push through on July 6. The presiding officer, whoever is the president, or the acting president, or we can designate whoever can preside over the impeachment trial on July 6.)<div>SPECIAL SESSION</div>Meanwhile, Lacson said they will be asking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to allow the Senate to convene for a special session so they can finish the tasks affected by the impasse.Among the tasks left undone because of the Cayetano bloc&#x27;s refusal to attend sessions is the confirmation of the promotions of armed forces generals.&quot;Alang-alang sa ating mga magigitng na kawal, mga mapo-promote, baka madisqualify sila by virtue of the one-year ban bago dumating &#x27;yung kanilang retirement age, hihiling kami sa pangulo kung pwedeng tumawag kami ng special session para ma-convene yung Commission on Appointments, para naman hindi malaking dagok sa pamilya ng ating mga magigiting na opisyal ng Armed Forces,&quot; Lacson added.(For the sake of our soldiers, those who will be promoted, they might be disqualified because of the one-year ban before their retirement, we will ask the president if we can have a special session to convene the Commission on Appointments so their families will not suffer.)Officers may only be promoted to general if they have at least one year of service remaining before compulsory retirement at 57.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson maintained that the Senate presidency is vacant as he challenged other senators to address questions and issues in plenary instead of resorting to social media posts.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson maintained that the Senate presidency is vacant as he challenged other senators to address questions and issues in plenary instead of resorting to social media posts.

Lacson: Senate issues should be discussed in plenary, not social media

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Lacson: Senate issues should be discussed in plenary, not social media

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 03, 2026 08:49 PM PHT

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Updated June 03, 2026 09:15 PM PHT

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Senate

Panfilo Lacson

Senate presidency

Alan Peter Cayetano

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