Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday rejected proposals for a power-sharing arrangement as a way to resolve the ongoing leadership dispute in the Senate.
In a radio interview, Gatchalian said the June 3 Senate session clearly elected him as Senate President Pro Tempore and designated him as acting Senate president.
He argued that a power-sharing agreement is not possible because only one person was elected to the position during the session.
Gatchalian also said neither the Senate nor members of his camp have received any request from the Supreme Court to comment on petitions challenging the legitimacy of his leadership.
The leadership dispute began after 12 senators formed a quorum on June 3 despite the absence of a bloc led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
During the session, Gatchalian was elected Senate President Pro Tempore and later designated acting Senate president. His leadership has since been recognized by Malacañang and the House of Representatives.
Cayetano, however, has maintained that he remains Senate president and has questioned the legality of the June 3 proceedings.
The dispute comes as the Senate prepares for upcoming legislative work and possible impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte.
Earlier, Cayetano’s camp proposed temporary administrative arrangements to avoid conflicting directives to Senate employees and ensure the continued operations of the Senate and the impeachment court while the leadership issue remains unresolved.
