Former SP Franklin Drilon. Photo courtesy of PNA.
The Senate’s final stretch before adjournment was thrown into uncertainty after the majority bloc skipped Monday’s plenary session, leaving minority senators inside the chamber without a quorum.
The incident raised questions on how the upper chamber would function in its remaining session days ahead of its scheduled sine die adjournment.
Under the approved calendar, Congress is set to adjourn on June 5, with the last session day slated for June 3.
The Senate was supposed to convene at 5 p.m. on Monday, but the 13-member majority bloc failed to show up, leaving the minority waiting in the plenary for hours.
Former Senate president Franklin Drilon said the chamber would still automatically adjourn on the date set in the legislative calendar even without a formal session.
He said that any move to advance adjournment would require a concurrent resolution from both houses, which could not be passed without a quorum.
Drilon also noted that Senate rules allow postponement of sessions under certain conditions, provided there is proper consultation with leadership.
Minority senators said they were not informed of the majority’s absence and described the move as a boycott that disrupted normal parliamentary proceedings.