Legarda: Senate Takeover Unconstitutional

Senate President Pro Tempore and four-term Senator Loren Legarda raised serious constitutional concerns pointing out that no senator can validly act as Senate President on the strength of only twelve votes. Under Article VI, Section 16(1) of the 1987 Constitution, “The Senate shall elect its President by a majority vote of all its respective Members.” Since the Senate is composed of twenty-four Senators, that majority is thirteen. By the fact that the Senators present did not have thirteen votes, they could not validly elect a Senate President or authorize any Senator to act as Senate President.

Under Rule II, Section 2 of the Rules of the Senate, “The officers of the Senate shall be elected by the majority vote of all its members.” This means that the Senate President Pro Tempore, the Senate Secretary, and the Sergeant-at-Arms also required at least thirteen votes.

This is clearly recognized and admitted by the minority senators in their public statements and interviews. That is why the minority Senators did not vote for a Senate President: they lacked the required thirteen (13) votes. In the same way, they could not have legally elected a Senate President Pro Tempore because they also lacked the required thirteen (13) votes.

“When the Constitution and the rules are clear, these must be applied as written,” Legarda stressed. “The Senate is composed of twenty-four members. A majority of twenty-four is thirteen. Without thirteen senators present, the Senate cannot validly transact business.” Without a quorum of thirteen (13), it is clear that no change of committee chairmanships can be done.

“The temporary absence of some members should not become a reason to lower their representation or weaken the mandate of the people who elected them,” Legarda emphasized. “Until there is a vacancy, resignation, expulsion, final disqualification, or other legal basis recognized by law, their seats remain part of the Senate’s full membership.”

“We remain firm in our respect for the Constitution,” Legarda added. “Any proceeding conducted without the constitutionally required quorum raises serious questions of validity and cannot be recognized as consistent with the clear mandate of the Constitution.”
(30)

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Legarda: “TAKE-OVER” SA SENADO, LABAG SA KONSTITUSYON AT SA RULES NG SENADO

Iginiit ni Senate President Pro Tempore at Four Term Senator Loren Legarda na labag sa Salingang Batas ang ginawang Takeover ng Minority Block sa Senado.

Ayon kay Legarda, walang senador na maaaring tumayong Senate President sa boto lamang ng labindalawang miyembro. Malinaw na nakasaad sa Article VI, Section 16(1) ng 1987 Constitution na ang Senate President ay mahahalal lamang sa pamamagitan ng boto ng mayorya ng lahat ng miyembro ng Senado. Dahil dalawampu’t apat ang kabuuang bilang ng mga senador, labintatlong boto ang kailangan upang magkaroon ng mayorya.

At dahil labindalawa lamang ang boto ng Minorya, wala silang sapat na bilang para maghalal ng Senate President o magbigay ng awtoridad sa sinumang senador na gumanap bilang Senate President.

Sa ilalim naman ng Rule II, Section 2 ng Rules of the Senate, “Ang mga opisyal ng Senado ay ihahalal sa pamamagitan ng boto ng mayorya ng lahat ng mga kasapi nito.” Ibig sabihin, kailangan din ng hindi bababa sa labintatlong boto upang mahalal ang Senate President Pro Tempore, Senate Secretary, at Sergeant-at-Arms.

Ayon kay Legarda, malinaw itong kinilala at inamin mismo ng mga senador ng Minorya sa kanilang mga pahayag. Ito ang rason kung bakit hindi sila naghalal ng Senate President dahil kulang sila sa kinakailangang labintatlong boto. Sa parehong dahilan, wala rin silang sapat na bilang upang legal na maghalal ng Senate President Pro Tempore.

“Malinaw ang Konstitusyon at ang mga tuntunin ng Senado, dapat itong sundin ayon sa nakasulat,” diin ni Legarda.

“Dalawampu’t apat ang kabuuang miyembro ng Senado. Ang mayorya ng dalawampu’t apat ay labintatlo. Kung walang labintatlong senador, hindi maaaring magsagawa ng opisyal na transaksyon ang Senado.”

Dagdag pa niya, dahil walang quorum na labintatlo, wala ring batayan upang baguhin ang mga committee chairmanship ng Senado.

Binigyang-diin din ni Legarda na ang pansamantalang pagliban ng ilang senador ay hindi dapat gamitin upang alisin ang kanilang representasyon.

“Hangga’t walang pagka-bakante, pagbibitiw, pagpapatalsik, pinal na diskwalipikasyon, o iba pang legal na dahilan na kinikilala ng batas, nananatiling bahagi ng Senado ang mga senador,” ani Legarda.

“Naninindigan tayo sa ating paggalang sa Konstitusyon,” dagdag niya. “Anumang proseso o hakbang na isinagawa nang walang quorum na hinihingi ng Konstitusyon ay nagbubukas ng seryosong usapin sa bisa at legalidad nito at hindi maituturing na naaayon sa malinaw na mandato ng Saligang Batas.” (30)