an exploration

For two days, the Philippine Senate was paralyzed. Following the corruption arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and with Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa hiding from an active warrant, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and 10 allies boycotted sessions to block internal rule changes, preventing a traditional 13-member quorum.

Everything changed on Wednesday afternoon. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero walked into the plenary hall, breaking the deadlock as the 12th lawmaker present.

The newly formed 12-member coalition immediately declared all leadership positions vacant, ousted Cayetano, and elected Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore to preside over the chamber.

Why the June 1 and 2 Boycott Backfired

An aggressive constitutional battle has erupted over the legality of the coup. Senator Loren Legarda and the ousted Cayetano bloc argue the reorganization is completely void under Article VI, Section 16(1) of the 1987 Constitution, which dictates that the Senate must elect its President by a majority of all its members—traditionally a rigid 13 votes out of 24.

However, the real game-changer was Cayetano's decision to deliberately withhold a quorum on June 1 and 2. Far from a clever defensive maneuver, this two-day boycott was a massive strategic miscalculation that directly violated Senate rules and created the exact legal loophole his rivals needed.

1. The Dereliction of Duty and Rule XIV

Under Rule XIV, Section 41 of the Senate Rules, a Senate President cannot simply call off a session on a whim. The rules explicitly state that the presiding officer may only postpone a session after consultation with both the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader. By abandoning the rostrum for two consecutive days without consultation, Cayetano’s bloc engaged in a clear dereliction of duty, triggering a fierce public backlash and a direct order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to "get back to work."

2. The Trap of the Avelino v. Cuenco Precedent (1949)

By refusing to show up for two straight days while the minority faction waited in their seats, Cayetano unwittingly recreated the exact conditions of Avelino v. Cuenco (1949).

In that landmark case, Senate President Jose Avelino walked out with his allies to avoid an investigation, leaving only 12 senators on the floor. Those remaining ousted him. When Avelino challenged the math, the Supreme Court dismissed his petition and established two foundational doctrines:

The Jurisdictional Majority: The Court ruled that because certain senators are unavailable or outside the coercive jurisdiction of the Senate (such as Senator Dela Rosa currently hiding from a warrant), the baseline shifts.

The Political Question Doctrine: The judiciary maintains a strict hands-off policy regarding internal legislative affairs. Leadership selection is a purely political matter for the functioning members on the floor to decide.

Why It Was a Bad Strategy

Cayetano’s boycott was designed to hold the legislative branch hostage until his faction regained a numerical advantage. But in politics, you cannot control a room you are not in.

By failing to show up on June 1 and 2, Cayetano left the floor entirely to his opposition. The moment Senator Escudero crossed the aisle to join them, the minority had the 12 active members required to form a "jurisdictional majority" under the Avelino doctrine.

Had Cayetano and his allies simply attended the sessions, they could have used their presence to debate, object, and filibuster any leadership changes. By choosing a total boycott instead, they effectively locked themselves out of the building—leaving the 12 senators inside with the legal authority to turn off the lights on Cayetano's presidency.

References and Sources

Supreme Court of the Philippines: Jose Avelino vs. Mariano J. Cuenco, G.R. No. L-2821, March 4, 1949.

The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: Article VI, Section 16.

Rules of the Senate: Rule XIV, Section 41 (Session Postponements and Mandates).

Philippine News Agency: Bacelonia, W. (2026, June 3). Minority asks Cayetano to resign after 2-day Senate impasse. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1276387

Inquirer.net: Cabalza, D. (2026, June 3). Marcos to Senate: Get back to work.https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2239274/marcos-orders-senate-get-back-to-work

Omggggggg this is so cute???????? Also the patience to stitch amd glues smth like this up 🫡🫡

AND HIS FACE KEEPS FALLING OFF I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO STITCH A FUGLY ASS MUSTACHE AND HIS EYES ARE A BIT SLANTED WHEN I GLUED THEM ON FOR REALLL 😭😭😭

thing thats bad: aww

thing that has both genuinely amazing pieces of storytelling and abysmal dogshit slop both happening like entirely interchangably: