Senator Chiz Escudero’s appearance at the Senate session on Wednesday, June 3, broke the impasse in the paralyzed upper chamber, leading to a shake-up in its leadership.
On May 26, the minority led by Senator Tito Sotto walked out of the plenary session to avoid creating a quorum while deliberating on the online voting rule backed by the majority led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
In return, the majority skipped sessions on Monday, June 1, and Tuesday, June 2, to maintain the status quo, which essentially rendered the upper chamber inutile because the minority itself could not reach a quorum to do official business.
Escudero’s appearance on Wednesday allowed Sotto’s group to reach a quorum of 12, elect Senator Win Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore, and assign new heads of key committees.
The senators’ legal basis in saying they had a quorum was a Supreme Court (SC) case from 1949.
