The situation, in brief
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday, May 23, flatly dismissed allegations that the minority bloc’s push for a Senate leadership change is driven by a desire to advance a Constituent Assembly, calling the claim baseless and saying the subject has never come up in any of the minority’s…
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday, May 23, flatly dismissed allegations that the minority bloc’s push for a Senate leadership change is driven by a desire to advance a Constituent Assembly, calling the claim baseless and saying the subject has never come up in any of the minority’s caucuses.
“‘Yung nagpapalabas sila ng tungkol sa Con-Ass kaya raw gustong magkaroon ng change ng leadership dahil papunta kaming Con-Ass, just BS ‘yun. Hindi totoo ‘yun. Hindi namin napag-usapan ‘yun. Sa dami ng caucuses naming minority, wala kaming pinag-uusapan tungkol sa Con-Ass,” Lacson said in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday.
Lacson said the minority bloc’s sole focus in its caucuses has been on rebuilding the Senate’s dignity and integrity—and that every conversation, regardless of where it starts, inevitably returns to the same conclusion: that new leadership is needed, and that Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian is their non-negotiable pick for Senate President.
“‘Yun ang laging highlight ng usapan namin. Kahit saan mapunta ‘yung aming conversation, mauuwi kami doon sa kailangan itindig natin, ibangon natin ‘yung integridad, ‘yung dignidad, ‘yung reputation ng Senado kasi talagang napakababa sa ngayon,” he said.
The senator said the Con-Ass allegations are a distraction being pushed by those who want to discredit the minority’s institutional concerns by framing them as a charter change gambit.
He said the minority bloc’s push for a leadership change is rooted in the Senate’s credibility crisis—triggered by the May 13 shooting incident, the quiet departure of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from the Senate, and the accumulated weight of corruption issues involving the chamber.
Lacson said the minority bloc has been consistent and transparent about its motivations, stressing that the push for Gatchalian as Senate President is about restoring the institution’s reputation—not advancing any political or constitutional agenda.
“Alam namin qualified si Senator Sherwin. Alam namin na kaya niyang dalhin ang Senado doon sa magkakaisa, magkakaroon ng united front against all the issues na bumabalot sa Senado ngayon,” he said.
The senator also laid out the precise political arithmetic that makes the minority’s position credible, noting that Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s current 12-11 hold is precarious—with dela Rosa, who cast the 13th and deciding vote that installed Cayetano on May 11, having gone into hiding after slipping out of the Senate in the early hours of May 14 following the shooting incident.
If just one senator from the majority crosses over, the minority becomes the de facto majority on the floor, with the power to determine committee chairmanships and the outcome of major votes even without formally replacing the Senate President.
Lacson said he hopes conscience will ultimately move senators on both sides to reconsider their positions and rally around a leader who can unify the chamber.
“Baka sakaling bagong leader, fresh blood si Senator Sherwin, baka naman sakaling umangat ‘yung integridad, ‘yung dignidad ng Senado,” he said, framing Gatchalian’s potential ascent not as a political victory for the minority but as a possible turning point for the institution as a whole.
The senator also dismissed the Con-Ass framing as inconsistent with the minority’s track record, noting that the bloc has been focused on accountability—particularly on the flood control scandal and budget irregularities—rather than on constitutional revision.
He said the minority’s caucuses have been consumed by discussions on how to rebuild the Senate’s image and restore public trust, not on how to convene a Constituent Assembly.
Lacson closed by expressing cautious optimism that the current crisis, painful as it is, could become the catalyst for genuine institutional renewal—but only if senators are willing to do the hard work of self-reflection rather than retreat further into political entrenchment.
“Kailangan siguro magkaroon kami ng self-reflection. Suriin namin ‘yung aming mga sarili individually and collectively para pag-isipan namin papaano namin ibabangon ‘yung kapurihan ng Senado,” he said.
