Senators still free to decide on VP post – Cayetano

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano clarified on Tuesday that his colleagues in the upper chamber remain free to make their own decisions should they be offered the role of vice president.

This comes after Sen. Panfilo Lacson criticized Cayetano’s call for their colleagues to reject any nomination to replace Vice President Sara Duterte if she were convicted.

“Everyone remains free to decide. I hope we can consider the concern behind the invitation before taking offense at being asked,” Cayetano wrote in a social media post.

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READ: Lacson: Cayetano’s call for senators to reject VP post uncalled for

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Cayetano’s initial call stemmed from impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero saying he would turn down the vice presidency as he would be among the senator-judges to vote on the possible conviction of Duterte.

“He could have kept quiet and left the possibility open. Instead, he gave people a reason to trust that his vote would not be influenced by the prospect of becoming Vice President. With so much doubt surrounding our politics, I think we need more of that,” Cayetano highlighted.

Should the senator-judges vote to convict Duterte, she will be relieved from vice presidency, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may nominate any member of Congress to take Duterte’s place.

With this in mind, Cayetano reminded that senators may still turn down the nomination.

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“The President retains his constitutional authority to nominate a replacement from the Senate or the House if a vacancy arises, subject to confirmation by both chambers. A senator remains free to decline. The President can fulfill his duty while a senator follows his conscience, without either preventing the other from doing what he believes is right,” he emphasized.

The senator then welcomed openly discussing what comes after the impeachment trial, adding that there is no need to take offense in such.

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Cayetano said: “I am glad we can discuss these questions openly, and I appreciate those who take the time to consider them calmly and carefully. We owe the public that much, even when we disagree.”

“Getting offended by a question does not answer it, and making the discussion personal does little to help people understand what is at stake,” he continued. /jpv