MANILA — Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has stressed that while debating proposed amendments to Senate rules is allowed, attempts to rush or bypass procedures amount to a violation of parliamentary process.

Lacson issued the statement on Saturday in response to a question raised by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano in a social media livestream on whether it is improper to discuss changes to Senate rules, including provisions on remote participation.

“Nothing is wrong about debating on any motion, resolution or measure. What is wrong is ignoring our own rules and parliamentary procedures by stopping the debates to railroad the adoption of a motion already referred to the Committee on Rules,” he said on X.

Cayetano had earlier questioned in a Facebook Live session whether it was wrong to amend Senate rules, following a heated exchange last Tuesday involving Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s May 11 motion to allow remote participation in Senate proceedings.

The Senate President also criticized Lacson and other members of the minority bloc, accusing them of allegedly misleading supporters after claiming they were not given the chance to ask questions or explain their position.

Lacson, who joined a minority bloc walkout on May 26, reiterated that the majority allegedly attempted to force a plenary vote on the motion allowing online participation.

He argued that the move violated the Rules of the Senate and its committee system, citing Section 24, which provides that committees must discuss and report on matters referred to them. He noted that Marcoleta’s motion had already been referred to the Committee on Rules, which remains unconstituted following a leadership change on May 11.

He also said Section 136 of the Senate Rules, which Cayetano cited as basis for amending rules through a motion filed at least a day before consideration, does not apply because the matter had already been referred to a committee.

Minority senators walked out of the session after Cayetano insisted on dividing the house and proceeding to a vote.

“We can amend our rules but we must follow the procedure. They wanted to amend the rules fastbreak-style. And we have a committee system. Congress cannot function without the committees,” Lacson said in a DZBB interview on Friday.