By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Senator Erwin Tulfo intensified pressure on Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, saying the continuing boycott of Senate sessions by members of the majority bloc reflects a serious leadership failure that has left the chamber in disarray.
Visibly frustrated over the absence of several senators during session, Tulfo described the situation as “nakakahiya” and “very frustrating,” arguing that lawmakers are being paid by taxpayers to work—not to engage in political gamesmanship.
Tulfo said that if Cayetano could no longer convince senators to attend sessions and keep the chamber functioning, then the Senate President should seriously consider relinquishing the post for the sake of the institution.
“Kung hindi na niya kayang pamunuan ang Senado at hindi niya mapapasok ang kanyang mga kasamahan, baka panahon na para mag-isip siya kung dapat pa siyang manatili sa puwesto,” Tulfo said in substance during media interviews, while criticizing the continuing standoff inside the chamber.
The senator likewise maintained that public service is not optional, stressing that senators who fail to report for work should not expect to enjoy the privileges of public office while ordinary Filipinos continue to struggle with rising prices and economic hardships.
For critics, the empty seats in the Senate hall have become a visible symbol of a deeper problem—a leadership crisis that has paralyzed the country’s highest legislative body at a time when urgent national issues require attention.
The controversy erupted after several members of the majority bloc failed to attend sessions, preventing the Senate from conducting business normally and prompting accusations that political infighting has taken precedence over legislation. Tulfo openly apologized to the public for what he described as the Senate’s lack of productivity and warned that the institution risks losing public trust if the situation continues.
ia/xf
