1 week ago
6
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Renalyn Ramirez - Philstar.com
June 3, 2026 | 1:29pm
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano accompanies majority colleague Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Monday, June 1, 2026 as he was about to surrender to authorities following the issuance of an arrest warrant over plunder charges in connection with the flood control scandal.
Philstar.com / Ian Laqui
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang challenged Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s call to defend “Senate independence,” saying that serving the arrest warrant on Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on June 1 for his P573-million plunder case was just “right.”
“Senate independence. Independence from what?” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said during a press briefing at Malacañang on Tuesday, June 2, when asked to comment on Cayetano’s call.
“Ano ba ang pinapalagan ni Senator Alan Cayetano? Saan ba nakialam ang pangulo? Tama lamang po na i-serve ang valid warrant of arrest,” she added.
(What is it that Senator Alan Cayetano was opposing? Where did the president interfere? It is just right to serve the valid warrant of arrest [against Estrada])
The call to defend “Senate independence” was made through a statement posted by Cayetano on Facebook on June 1 after he and other majority bloc senators accompanied Estrada during his arrest inside the Senate premises.
Cayetano said that the independence and legal standing of the Senate as a co-equal branch of government are not “currencies” that can be traded.
“The day they become things to be traded is the day that the Senate is diminished,” Cayetano said.
“So I put one question to you, not as the majority but as the chamber: will you stand for the Senate’s independence?” he added.
Castro, on the other hand, questioned the call. “Ang ibig po ba niyang sabihin kapag nagsisilbi po ng valid warrant of arrest sa Senado sa mga ganitong klaseng krimen ay dapat hindi isilbi?” she said.
She further added that cooperation among branches of government can be achieved only if no one positions themselves above the law.
“So papaano magkakaroon ng pagtutulungan, kooperasyon ang bawat sangay ng gobyerno kung merong magmamataas, merong hindi tutupad sa batas at merong maghahari-harian? Hindi pwedeng ganon. Lahat po dapat patas,” Castro said.
(How can we achieve cooperation among government branches if there are people who are arrogant, who do not follow the law, and who act like bosses? That can’t be. Everyone should be fair)
Meanwhile, Castro also criticized the cancellation of Senate sessions due to the majority bloc’s refusal to attend, saying it affects the passage of priority bills.
“Kung ganito po nangyayari sa Senado, mahihirapan po talaga. Hindi lamang ang Pangulo kundi ang taong bayan. Apektado ang taong bayan dito. Pati po ang ekonomiya ay maaapektuhan sa ingay at gulo sa Senado,” Castro said.
The majority bloc did not show up at Senate sessions for two consecutive days since Estrada's arrest. On Tuesday, Cayetano said in a Facebook Live that their refusal to attend Senate sessions is a “protest” against a “puppet Senate.”
