Robin mocked over ‘force majeure’ argument

MANILA, Philippines -  Sen. Robin Padilla was mocked by his fellow senators for forcing the argument that the “force majeure” condition in the Senate rules on virtual attendance can already be applied because of ongoing territorial disputes and regional conflict.

Minority senators from the “Solid Bloc 11” (SB11) found incredulous Padilla’s Facebook post claiming that world conflict and territorial disputes are already conditions for a senator like fugitive Ronald dela Rosa to be allowed virtual attendance at plenary sessions while in hiding.

“War/gera/digmaan sa Gitnang Silangan na nagreresulta na ng terorismo sa ibat ibang parte ng mundo, Ang napipintong pagkadawit ng Pilipinas sa China-Taiwan conflict. Hindi po ba ito force majeure?” Padilla wrote on Facebook.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson laughed at the idea on his Twitter account. “Hindi po ito ‘force majeure’. Iyan po ay ‘UNFORCED ERROR,’” Lacson said with two laughing emojis.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, force majeure is “a clause in an agreement that excuses performance if an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled (such as war or extreme weather) occurs.”

The majority senators are pushing the proposal of Dela Rosa ally Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to amend the Senate rule provision on session that allows “teleconference, video conference, or other reliable forms of remote or electronic means” for senators but only during “force majeure or the occurrence of a national emergency.”

Marcoleta is pushing to include the sweeping phrase “justifiable condition” to allow any senator to physically miss a session and opt instead to be virtually present to help build a quorum or cast votes.

This amendment, successfully blocked by minority senators after their Tuesday session walkout, would have also benefited Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, who are set to face plunder cases before the Sandiganbayan over the flood control mess.

Speaking to GMA News yesterday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said of Padilla’s hot take: “Ano ba naman yan!”

“We have many pending proposals for the Filipino people that we need to tackle in person. We don’t need online work,” Hontiveros said in Filipino.

Turning again to Facebook, Padilla defended his reasoning and definition of force majeure in the context of the Senate rules.

“Don’t act too smart in everything. Senators have their own traits that should be helpful to people who elect them,” he said in Filipino.

Padilla has also not responded to requests for reaction to the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s plan to file obstruction of justice charges against him for his role in getting Dela Rosa out of the Senate after the May 13 incident.

He instead posted on Wednesday a screenshot of the news on his Facebook and wrote: “Alhamdulillah Araw ng EID’L ADHAA dumating ang pagpapala na ito.  Maraming salamat po ya Allah!”

2 ‘disgusted’ senators leaving majority bloc?

Two senators from the majority bloc who looked “disgusted” with the turmoil bedeviling the Senate may be persuaded to jump the fence and force another leadership change, according to Sen. Erwin Tulfo.

“Two of them, probably after what happened, were a bit disgusted and couldn’t believe (what’s transpiring). Probably, we can talk to these two over the weekend,” Tulfo told One News’ “Storycon” yesterday.

The neophyte senator did not say who they were, but gave indications that they might be those who are not “pro-Duterte.”

The minority bloc, led by Sen. Vicente Sotto III, has been attempting to regain control of the upper chamber since his ouster in a coup instigated by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Asked if Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda would defect again, Tulfo shared what transpired on Tuesday night when the minority bloc staged its walkout.

“Senator Loren went up to our room because Migz (Juan Miguel Zubiri) invited her, but we were just chit-chatting and joking with her, ‘Join us already.’ She said, though, ‘No, no, no. I still have things to resolve.’ Something to that effect,” Tulfo said. - EJ Macababbad