Former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Thursday, June 15 urged the current Senate leadership to bring back the prestige and credibility of the institution, citing the need to address the lack of proper decorum during plenary session and committee hearings.
President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri should know how to "draw the line" by showing his disapproval on the action or behavior of some of his colleagues, Drilon said.
Drilon, who was also a former Senate minority leader, lamented that the public's perception of the Senate as an august chamber has been eroded "by what has been observed as the lack of proper decorum."
"With all due respect, and I hope my former colleagues are not onion-skinned, (but) I’m compelled to comment on what the public perceives to be an erosion of the prestige of the Senate as an institution, principally brought about by what is perceived to be the lack of decorum on the part of certain senators," Drilon told reporters in an interview.
The former lawmaker said having "a very noisy session" was also a problem of the Senate during their time, but the leadership would move to "adjourn the session at the back."
As far as he is concerned, it is the Senate president that has the burden of ensuring that the public's perception in the Senate as an institution remains high.
"The burden is really on the Senate President and the Senate leadership to make sure that the prestige of the Senate and the credibility of the Senate is maintained,” Drilon said.
"Because if not, if you weaken the Senate, the executive branch would run roughshod over the Senate,” the former lawmaker warned.