MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda cited constitutional provisions and Senate rules to argue that recent leadership actions inside the chamber lacked the required number of votes to be considered valid.

In a statement, Legarda said the 1987 Constitution requires a majority vote of all Senate members in electing officers, noting that the chamber is composed of 24 senators and that at least 13 votes are needed.

“Sa mga kapwa ko Pilipino.

Malinaw ang nakasaad sa Konstitusyon.

Walang sinumang Senador ang maaaring lehitimong tumayo bilang Pangulo ng Senado batay lamang sa labindalawang boto. Ito ay pinagtibay sa ilalim ng 1987 Constitution. Sa Article VI, Section 16, Subsection 1 ng 1987 Constitution,

“The Senate shall elect its President by a majority vote of all its Members.”

Ang ibig pong sabihin, makakapag-halal lamang ng isang Senate President kung makakuha siya ng mayoryang boto ng lahat ng miyembro ng Senado.

Ayon sa Konstitusyon, dalawampu’t apat ang kabuuang bilang ng mga halal na Senador. Kaya naman labintatlo ang kinakailangan para magkaroon ng mayorya.”

She also cited Senate rules requiring majority votes in the election of officers, including the Senate President Pro Tempore, Secretary, and Sergeant-at-Arms.

Legarda said a recent leadership change, which she claimed involved only 12 senators present in the plenary, did not meet the constitutional threshold.

“Malinaw… labintatlong boto ang kailangan.

Sinabi din sa RULE XV, Section 44 ng Alituntunin ng Senado na –

Except during the election of officers, a majority of the Senators shall constitute a quorum.

Simple lamang ang kahulugan nito:

Iba ang bilang na kailangan para sa quorum at iba rin ang bilang na kailangan para sa eleksyon.”

She added that the election of officers and committee chairmanships require majority votes of all Senate members, and that the process followed during the disputed session was unconstitutional.

Legarda also rejected reliance on the 1949 Avelino v. Cuenco case, saying it cannot be used to justify lowering the required number of votes under the 1987 Constitution.

“Madalas na binabanggit ng mga nasa minorya ang kasong Avelino v. Cuenco upang palabasing lehitimo ang naganap na takeover sa Senado. Pero hindi maaaring gawing shortcut ang Avelino upang pababain ang bilang ng mga Senador na kailangan para sa quorum, sa eleksyon, at para magkaroon ng re-organization sa Senado.”

She stressed that allowing smaller groups of senators to reorganize leadership during absences or other circumstances could undermine representation and the functioning of the institution.

“Dapat manatiling representasyon, interes ng nakararami, performance ng bawat isa, at isyu ng panahon ang batayan kung sino ang magiging mayorya at pinuno ng Senado.

Ang Konstitusyon ang gabay ng ating demokrasya. Ito ang dapat nating ipaglaban para sa Senado, para sa ating mga institusyon, at higit sa lahat, para sa bawat Pilipino.”

Legarda concluded her statement by affirming her position as Senate President Pro Tempore.