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MANILA, Philippines — Senators in the minority bloc walked out of the plenary session on Tuesday night, dramatizing their strong objection to a move calling on the chamber body to decide on a two-week-old proposal from Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to let members vote in sessions via online channels.
Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III stayed just to question the presence of a quorum. Having established that there was none, Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda, who was presiding, had no choice but to adjourn.
Minutes after the walkout, Sen. Francis Pangilinan posted on social media that the minority senators “strongly condemn what appears to be an attempt to rush a major change in the Senate rules.”
He was referring to the move to put the Marcoleta proposal to a vote on the floor just 15 days after it was introduced.
