00:00A teacher asks the Supreme Court to uphold the legality of the Senate's 12-member quorum in
00:05its June 3 plenary session. In a 20-page petition, high school teacher John Barry Tayam urges the SC
00:11to declare that the physical presence of 12 senators on June 3, 2026 constituted a legally
00:17valid, binding, and constitutional quorum of the active, available membership of the Senate.
00:22Tayam also urges the SC to affirm the full legality and constitutional validity of the session.
00:27He argues the Senate had then reached the required number to function two days since the
00:32block led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano decided to skip sessions. The 12-member block led by acting
00:38Senate President Win Gatchalian invoked the Avellino Doctrine of 1949 in which the High Court held the
00:44quorum of 12 was legal among all available senators. Meantime, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
00:50confirms the quorum was valid and legal. The IBP says the doctrine was applicable because Senators
00:55Bato de la Rosa and Jinggoy Estrada could not be compelled by the Senate to be present.
01:00Deans and professors of law schools around the country also say the Gatchalian block was correct
01:05in interpreting there are only 22 available senators. Malacanang also recognizes the leadership of
01:10Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as acting Senate President.
01:13So the minority is now the group of Sen. Alan Cayetano. So sinod ba dapat na masunod? Majority or minority?
01:22Be a baby.
01:22So
01:24I
01:25I
01:25I
01:25I
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