Jamaine Punzalan

Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Rodante Marcoleta push through with their scheduled Blue Ribbon Committee hearing featuring supposed former Marines and their lawyer as resource persons at the Senate plenary hall in Pasay City on June 4, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178055354481320260604-senate-cayetano-bloc-blue-ribbon-MT-4.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Rodante Marcoleta push through with their scheduled Blue Ribbon Committee hearing featuring supposed former Marines and their lawyer as resource persons at the Senate plenary hall in Pasay City on June 4, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — Malacañang on Thursday blamed the political turmoil in the Senate as a factor in the country’s failure to win a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat, saying that the weeks-long upheaval and bickering in the legislative chamber gave other countries a bad impression of the Philippines.</p><p>Despite years of campaigning, the Philippines lost the two-year term in the 15-member UN panel to Kyrgyztan after 4 rounds of voting during the UN’s June 3 session.</p><p>“Lahat ng political noise, political tensions, nakakaapekto ito,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters.</p><p>“Ito ang nakikita ng buong bayan at buong mundo sa impression sa Pilipinas… na karamihan naman ay mga obstructionist,” she said.</p><p>The Senate has been embroiled in controversy since May 11 after fugitive Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa appeared in the building to help hoist Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano to the Senate Presidency ahead of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.</p><p>On May 13, the Philippines made international headlines after shots were fired in the Senate halls. Investigators later on criticized Senate Sergeant at Arms Mao Aplasca for firing warning shots instead of coordinating with law enforcement agents who were in the next building.</p><p>This week, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/senate-plenary-session-majority-minority-1501">12 senators elected new officials</a> — except for the Senate President — saying that they should be considered as the new majority bloc since the quorum was reduced to 22 after Dela Rosa went back into hiding, and after Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for his non-bailable plunder case.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/what-is-the-quorum-of-12-that-broke-senate-standstill-1804">What is the ‘quorum of 12’ that broke Senate standstill? </a></div><p>“Umayos kayo,” Castro said, when asked what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s message to the Senate would be.</p><p>“Mahirap kasi na lahat ng naririnig natin ngayon ay intriga… Mas lalo itong nagpapagulo, nagpapaingay,” the Palace official said.</p><p>“Alam naman natin na ang political tensions… pati ang ekonomiya apektado dahil hindi nagiging maganda ang reputasyon ng Pilipinas sa buong bansa, sa buong mundo,” she said.</p><p>Earlier this week, Malacañang recognized the legitimacy of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the chamber’s new Senate President Pro Tempore and its de facto leader, citing a previous Supreme Court ruling on the adjustment of the threshold for voting following the absence of several members.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/sotto-says-cayetano-bloc-s-hearing-unofficial-unauthorized-1210">Sotto says Cayetano bloc&#x27;s hearing &#x27;unofficial, unauthorized&#x27; </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/pdp-to-question-constitutionality-of-gatchalian-bloc-s-quorum-before-sc-1221">PDP to question constitutionality of Gatchalian-bloc’s quorum before SC </a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/jinggoy-says-cayetano-still-senate-president-1140">Jinggoy says Cayetano still Senate President</a></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/TSz_Gdvxrgo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/jk1LZ66oRpU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Malacañang on Thursday blamed the political turmoil in the Senate as a factor in the country’s failure to win a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat, saying that the weeks-long upheaval and bickering in the legislative chamber gave other countries a bad impression of the Philippines.</p>

Malacañang on Thursday blamed the political turmoil in the Senate as a factor in the country’s failure to win a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat, saying that the weeks-long upheaval and bickering in the legislative chamber gave other countries a bad impression of the Philippines.

‘Umayos kayo!’: Palace blames Senate turmoil for PH loss in UN Security Council bid

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‘Umayos kayo!’: Palace blames Senate turmoil for PH loss in UN Security Council bid

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 04, 2026 02:16 PM PHT

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Updated June 04, 2026 06:16 PM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Claire Castro

Senate

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UN Security Council

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