Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday expressed his gratitude to members of the Senate minority bloc backing his potential bid for the Senate presidency, emphasizing that rebuilding the institution’s tarnished image requires absolute unity among lawmakers.
Speaking in a radio interview, Gatchalian remained modest about the leadership prospects, stating he is leaving the top Senate post to “God’s will and God’s time.”
“Yun ang aking laging paniniwala. At ako sa loob ng sampung taon, ang aking pangunahing layunin, gampanan yung aking trabaho nang maigi at siguraduhin na yung ating mga panukalang batas may positibong epekto sa pamumuhay ng ating mga kababayan,” Gatchalian said.
(That has always been my belief. In my ten years here, my primary goal has been to do my job well and ensure that our bills have a positive impact on the lives of our countrymen.
However, the lawmaker acknowledged that restoring public trust after a succession of controversies hitting the upper chamber will be an uphill battle. He stressed that leadership alone cannot fix the institution’s systemic issues.
“Aaminin ko hindi natin kakayanin ito kahit tayo ang mamumuno, importante ang suporta rin ng bawat isa. Hindi sa minority, hindi sa majority, kundi bawat isang senador. Dahil institusyon natin ito at tayo ang bumubuo nitong institusyon,” he explained.
I admit we cannot do this alone even if we are leading; the support of everyone is important. Not just the minority, not just the majority, but every single senator. Because this is our institution and we comprise this institution.
As part of institutional healing, Gatchalian called for an impartial and independent probe into the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate premises, underscoring that accountability is vital to reclaiming public confidence.
“Dapat maiwasan yung ganitong engkwentro. Mga kabaro natin yan…Mga taong gobyerno ‘to. Hindi pwedeng nagbabarilan ang parehong taong gobyerno,” the senator said, urging for better communication lines between state agencies to prevent future violence.
This kind of encounter must be avoided. They are our colleagues… These are government personnel. Government personnel should not be shooting at each other.
Should he succeed current Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, Gatchalian will inherit the critical responsibility of presiding over the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. He noted that the weight of the proceedings rests on the entire chamber, asserting that all senator-judges must meticulously examine the evidence and articles of impeachment.
When the interview shifted to a lighter note, asking if the heavy political mantle might derail his love life, the senator laughed it off with a familiar sentiment.
“Oo nga. Again, God’s will and God’s time rin yan kung sinuman yan,” he quipped.
True. Again, whoever that person is, that is also up to God’s will and God’s time.