Manila: Sen. Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson on Thursday said the minority bloc's walkout during Tuesday's plenary session exposed the fragile hold of the Senate majority, whose numbers were not enough to continue proceedings once the quorum was questioned.

According to Philippines News Agency, Lacson highlighted in a television interview that the majority had only 11 senators on the floor when the minority left the session hall. Sen. Francis 'Chiz' Escudero was absent from the plenary, and Sen. Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa was unavailable. Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III remained as the 12th senator on the floor and moved to adjourn the session due to the lack of quorum.

Lacson explained that without the presence of the minority senators, the majority was reduced to 11, with Sotto acting as the 12th member. However, the quorum required 13 members, resulting in an inability to proceed with the session. The walkout occurred amidst the majority's attempt to act on Sen. Rodante Marcoleta's proposal to amend Senate rules to allow remote participation in sessions.

The proposal was initially raised on May 11, coinciding with Dela Rosa's brief appearance at the Senate after months of absence. It was subsequently referred to the committee on rules. The minority objected to the majority's attempt to directly address the proposal in plenary, insisting that the committee process should be followed first.

Lacson emphasized the importance of adhering to Rule 24, which mandates that motions or resolutions under committee jurisdiction be discussed and deliberated by committee members before being reported to the plenary. He noted that the majority could still proceed in future sessions if 12 of its members are present and the quorum is not questioned. However, the recent walkout demonstrated how easily the majority's numbers could be challenged.

The minority is prepared to continue engaging in debates, interpellations, and proposing amendments if the majority attempts to bypass the committee process. Lacson warned that if the proposal is pushed through despite objections, they may bring the matter before the Supreme Court for possible grave abuse of discretion.