Marcos Urged to Step In as Senate Leadership Row Deepens

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon is calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to intervene in the escalating leadership dispute within the Senate, saying the Chief Executive has a duty to ensure the entire government functions smoothly.

Speaking to Ian Cruz on 24 Oras Weekend on Sunday, Drilon said presidential intervention is not only normal but necessary when a co-equal branch of government grinds to a halt.

Kung hindi pa siya nakikialam, dapat na, at walang masama roon dahil ito ay sangay ng pamahalaan na dapat magtrabaho. Tungkulin ng Pangulo na tiyaking gumagalaw ang buong pamahalaan.

In plain terms: if the President has not stepped in yet, he should. There is nothing wrong with that, because this is a branch of government that needs to work. It is the President's duty to ensure the entire government functions.

Duterte Precedent Recalled

Drilon pointed to recent history as proof that Malacañang involvement is nothing new. He recalled how former President Rodrigo Duterte personally intervened in the 2020 House Speaker row between Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco over their term-sharing agreement.

Sa katunayan, sa ganitong hidwaan at problema, nakikialam talaga ang Pangulo. Alam ni Senator Cayetano 'yan, alam ni Senator Gatchalian 'yan.

For many Filipinos who remember the firm hand Duterte brought to such disputes, the call for Marcos to do the same carries a certain nostalgia. The Duterte era, whatever else one may say of it, was marked by a willingness to cut through political gridlock when the country needed governance, not grandstanding.

Cayetano vs. Gatchalian: War of Words

The current Senate turmoil has pit Cayetano against Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, with Malacañang and the House of Representatives both recognizing Gatchalian as the Senate's leader.

In a fiery Facebook Live broadcast, Cayetano warned Gatchalian against allowing the Palace to use him as a pawn.

Mag-ingat si Senator Win kasi maganda naman ang future niya. Huwag kang magpagamit sa Malacañang at doon sa mga kasamahan mo kahit binibigyan ka ng mataas na posisyon. I'll give you the advice that someone I really respect gave me, which is: 'Receive, don't grab'.

Gatchalian swiftly rejected the suggestion that he is anyone's tool, saying decisions within the Senate majority are built on consensus.

Wala namang nagpapagamit kahit kanino. In fact, yung mga kasamahan namin sa majority, consensus-building kami. Nag-uusap kami sa isa't isa, nagbibigay ng payo.

He added that no one holds a monopoly on wisdom, and the real consensus should be to get back to work.

Wala namang monopolyo ng talino at galing. Ang aking consensus ay bumalik tayo sa trabaho dahil matagal na tayong hindi nakakapag-usap kung ano ang mga dapat gawin para sa bansa.

Palace Denies Meddling

Malacañang has firmly denied that Marcos played any role in the Senate leadership changes, citing the principle of separation of powers.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro pushed back hard against the narrative of presidential interference, pointing to the chaos itself as proof that Malacañang was not pulling strings.

Kung nakikialam ang Pangulo, hindi magkakaroon ng putukan at lock-and-load order noong May 13. Kung nakikialam ang Pangulo sa Senado, hindi makakatakas o makakalabas ng Senado si Sen. Bato; dapat naaresto na siya.

She laid the blame for the Senate disorder squarely at Cayetano's feet.

Lahat ng kaguluhan sa Senado, utos o may pahintulot ni Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Ang lahat ng nangyari riyan, pati ang putukan at ang pagbo-boycott, hindi dikta ng Pangulo. Kagagawan nila iyon. Huwag magkapit-tuko sa puwesto.

Escudero: I Acted on My Own

Former Senate President Francis Escudero likewise maintained that the Palace had nothing to do with his decision to attend the June 3 plenary session, a move that paved the way for Gatchalian's installation as Senate leader.

Ang posisyon ng Palasyo, walang kinalaman sa posisyon ng Senado bilang senador. Bakit? Hindi ba masakit sa dibdib na nakikita mong nag-a-adjourn na lang ang Senado nang tatlong araw gayong naroon naman ang mga tao?

It is a frustration shared by many ordinary Filipinos. While senators trade accusations and cling to their posts, the people's business gathers dust. The Senate adjourned for three days even though members were present and available. For a country facing pressing economic and social challenges, such paralysis is difficult to stomach.

Whether President Marcos chooses to intervene directly or let the chamber sort itself out, one thing is clear: the Filipino people expect their government to work, not to engage in endless sikaran over positions and prestige. The President's steady hand may be exactly what is needed to restore order and get the Senate back to the business of serving the nation.