Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. Win Gatchalian takes his oath as Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, on June 3, 2026.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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SENATE- MINORITY STATEMENT - MAJORITY ABSENCE

Adrian Ayalin

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/178063399452220260603-senate-president-pro-tempore-gatchalian-MT3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Win Gatchalian takes his oath as Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, on June 3, 2026.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A high school teacher filed on Friday a petition for certiorari urging the Supreme Court to declare the June 3, 2026 quorum and the subsequent actions of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s bloc as legally valid and constitutional.</p><p>Petitioner Barry Tayam asked the court to specifically affirm the legality of all legislative actions, vacancy declarations, leadership elections and committee reorganizations executed by Gatchalian.</p><p>Tayam invoked the high court’s Avelino vs. Cuenco decision and stressed that the calculation of a legislative quorum should be based on the number of senators within the “coercive power of the chamber” amid the absence of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ronald Dela Rosa.</p><p>“Thus, the twelve (12) senators present constituted a lawful majority of the functioning chamber, a precedent that directly validates a twelve-member quorum when other members are legally unavailable or outside the Senate’s reach,” Tayam said. </p><p>Respondents to the petition include Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano and Loren Legarda. </p><p>Tayam alleged the respondents exercised their authority with grave abuse of discretion.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F3231961336990271%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>He also noted the absence of the Senate Secretary as well as official stenographers in the June 4 Blue Ribbon Committee hearing of the Cayetano bloc.</p><p>“This directly violates the Senate Rules, which strictly require the presence of the Senate Secretary or their designated representative to validate and record all official sessions and committee hearings,” Tayam said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/battle-of-blue-ribbons-shows-an-upper-house-still-divided-2148">Battle of &#x27;Blue Ribbons&#x27; shows an upper house still divided</a></div><p>Tayam pointed out that Malacanang and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines recognized the legitimacy of Gatchalian’s leadership as acting Senate President. </p><p>“Based on the foregoing facts, the applicable statutes, the Senate Rules, prevailing jurisprudence, the explicit constitutional provisions, and the affirmations from both the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and Malacañang, it is clear that the respondents exceeded their legislative functions and acted ultra vires,” Tayam said.</p><p>In an interview after filing his petition, Tayam said that amid conflicting arguments, the Supreme Court can act as the final arbiter.</p><p>“Kasi nagkakagulo eh, yung mga tao sa social media pati iba-ibang legal experts nagkakagulo sila so at least nasa Supreme Court naman iyong final say,” Tayam said.</p><p>Twelve senators elected Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore on Wednesday, the third straight day that a group led by Cayetano boycotted sessions.</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><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/ibp-12-person-senate-session-was-lawful-and-valid-1850">IBP: 12-person Senate session was lawful and valid</a></div><p>The change in leadership was made possible after Sen. Francis Escudero from the Cayetano bloc attended the session, allowing lawmakers to reach a quorum. </p><p>Cayetano <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/cayetano-calls-senate-shake-up-an-illegal-maneuver-2142">challenged the constitutionality of the vote</a>, arguing that the entire 24-member chamber should have been counted. He insists that he is still Senate president until his replacement could be elected with 13 votes. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/jinggoy-says-cayetano-still-senate-president-1140">Jinggoy says Cayetano still Senate President</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/loren-legarda-insists-she-s-still-senate-president-pro-tempore-1049">Loren Legarda insists she&#x27;s still Senate President pro tempore: &#x27;Never po tayong kapit-tuko&#x27;</a></div><p>The <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/pdp-to-question-constitutionality-of-gatchalian-bloc-s-quorum-before-sc-1221">Partido Demokratiko Pilipino</a> said it would file a petition before the Supreme Court to question the Senate shakeup.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/commotion-breaks-out-among-remulla-padilla-cayetano-1118">Commotion breaks out among Remulla, Padilla, Cayetano</a><br/><a href="https://www.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></div><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse</strong></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/GQHt4-lzgrg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/GQHt4-lzgrg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>High school teacher Barry Tayam has urged the Supreme Court to affirm the legality of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s leadership in the Senate. </p>

High school teacher Barry Tayam has urged the Supreme Court to affirm the legality of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s leadership in the Senate.

Teacher asks Supreme Court to affirm Gatchalian’s Senate leadership

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Teacher asks Supreme Court to affirm Gatchalian’s Senate leadership

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 05, 2026 12:41 PM PHT

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Updated June 05, 2026 12:52 PM PHT

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Senate

Gatchalian

Cayetano

quorum of 12

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