Defacing the Senate institution BACKBENCHER Rod. P. Kapunan 02/06/2010

Defacing the Senate institution BACKBENCHER Rod. P. Kapunan 02/06/2010 It may be harsh to call those senators who came to the succor of beleaguered Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar as bunch of morons, but it is the most befitting term that can be used to describe their behavior last Tuesday. They all acted like morons because they know, starting with Villar himself, down to the rest of his henchmen led by Senators Alan and Pia Cayetano, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Edgardo Angara, Ramon Revilla and Lito Lapid, that there is an existing Senate Rule. Section 99 is perhaps the most important section for it enjoins all the members to attend all the regular and special sessions of the Senate and hearings of its committees. More than that, their presence is required because the Senate, as a collegial body, needs to obtain a quorum to proceed with the democratic process of deliberation and to seal the approval or rejection of bills and resolutions. That rule cannot be abated for without it the Senate would not be able to carry out its official business of legislation and other chores which has been constitutionally mandated, one of which is to investigate the conduct and behavior of a member..... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20100206com3.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Noynoy’s problem FRONTLINE Big mistake BACKBENCHER Defacing the Senate institution