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MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has recognized Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian’s leadership and expects the chamber’s internal dispute to be resolved without affecting the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said on Sunday.
Speaking in an interview on dzBB’s Bantay Balita sa Kongreso with Nimfa Ravelo and Isa Avendaño-Umali, Ortega said Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III had already issued a statement acknowledging and congratulating Gatchalian after he was elected Senate President Pro Tempore by 12 senators on June 3.
The Senate declared all leadership positions vacant after 12 senators formed a quorum, invoking the Supreme Court’s 1949 ruling in Avelino v. Cuenco to prevent the chamber from being paralyzed by the former majority bloc’s refusal to attend plenary sessions for three consecutive days.
Ortega also noted that several law schools, legal institutions, and co-equal branches of government have recognized Gatchalian’s leadership, including Malacañang and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
