Senator Ping Lacson
SENATOR Ping Lacson warned on Thursday, May 28, that two impending plunder cases against members of the majority bloc could trigger a major political shift in the Senate, potentially collapsing the ruling alliance and handing effective control to the minority within just a few weeks.
Speaking on ANC’s Headstart, Lacson explained that the legal troubles facing some senators would alter the chamber’s numerical balance, allowing his group to take charge of key committees even if they do not yet have enough votes to replace Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
Currently, the majority bloc supporting Cayetano stands at 12 members, but its strength is already diminished following the disappearance of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who went into hiding to evade an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
This leaves the minority bloc — which calls itself the “Solid Bloc 11” — with an equal footing in numbers. According to Lacson, if arrest warrants are issued against two more senators from the majority side, the ratio will shift to 11 versus 10, giving the minority a clear advantage and de facto control over Senate proceedings.
The threat appears imminent, as Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced earlier this week that he is set to file plunder and malversation charges against Senator Jinggoy Estrada before the Sandiganbayan.
Lacson noted that a warrant could be issued within 24 to 48 hours, and if Estrada is detained by Monday, the Senate will be deadlocked at 11 members each. Under this scenario, the majority would no longer be able to gather the 13 senators required to form a quorum or push through controversial measures, effectively paralyzing their ability to dictate the chamber’s agenda.
