MANILA — The Senate minority bloc called for the resignation of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, accusing him of dereliction of duty following the repeated absence of majority senators from plenary sessions.

In a statement, the minority bloc said the Senate cannot be made to stop working simply because its presiding officer failed to lead proceedings.

“SOLID BLOC 11: ALAN PETER CAYETANO RESIGN!”

It added that what happened in the Senate constituted a serious breach of responsibility and procedural rules.

“What happened today was a clear abandonment of responsibility, a dereliction of duty, and a blatant disregard of the rules that govern this institution, because the Senate cannot be made to stop working simply because its presiding officer refuses to lead.”

The minority bloc cited Senate rules, saying the postponement of sessions requires consultation.

“Under Rule XIV, Sec. 41 of the Rules of the Senate, the Senate President may postpone the holding of the session AFTER consultation with the Majority Leader AND the Minority Leader. That rule was violated. This is not merely a procedural lapse—it is a direct violation of the Rules of the Senate and a serious disrespect for the institution and the Filipino people.”

The group said Cayetano’s actions demonstrated that he was no longer fit to lead the chamber.

“Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano SHOULD RESIGN as he has shown that he cannot function as the leader of the Senate.”

The statement comes after members of the Senate majority bloc skipped Tuesday’s plenary session, marking the second consecutive day of absence following the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier confirmed that Senate President Cayetano had relayed to the Senate Secretariat the majority bloc’s decision not to attend the session, with no reason provided for their continued absence.