On May 26, 11 members of the Senate walked out after a heated debate to protest the majority senators’ insistence to adopt a new procedure allowing Senators to participate in plenary sessions online. The Senate majority responded with their own “no show” on June 1, 2 and 3 after the arrest of their ally, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, leaving several key bills pending and wasting taxpayers money.

Days before, the high-level drama began when Sen. Bato dela Rosa, who has an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), suddenly emerged after around six months in hiding to take part in the ouster of Senate President Tito Sotto paving the way for the senators who are seemingly favorable to Vice President Sara Duterte to gain control of the Senate. Hours later, he disappeared quickly in the same mysterious way –amid panic and gunshots— and whisked out of the Senate premises “together with” Sen. Robinhood Padilla, one of his staunchest allies. This happened under the new leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Meanwhile, another Senator Cayetano ally, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, is charged by the Ombudsman of plunder and indirect bribery over alleged campaign donations amounting to ₱75 million. Next came Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s arrest last June 1 for graft and non-bailable plunder case over allegations that he received kickbacks amounting to ₱573 million related to the flood control project allocations in 2025.

There are rumors that other senators in the majority bloc like Senators Chiz Escudero, Joel Villanueva, and Mark Villar, a former DPWH secretary, may be charged with plunder as well as the Office of the Ombudsman continues its investigation over alleged irregularities in the multibillion-peso flood control projects based on the testimony of senior DPWH officials in the House hearings.

Separately, there is also the looming arrest of Sen. Bong Go, a former close aide and personal assistant of former president Digong Duterte. According to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag on May 23, the agency has received information that several other persons considered as co-perpetrators in the alleged crimes against humanity during the illegal drug war of the past administration will be issued arrest warrants from the ICC.

More trouble haunts the Senate majority when civil society group Tindig Pilipinas filed last June 3 an obstruction of justice complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against Senate President Cayetano and Sen. Padilla over their alleged roles in helping Sen. dela Rosa’s escape from the Senate which the group describes as coordinated efforts to prevent the implementation of the ICC warrant against a fugitive.

It is the first time in Philippine history that so many senators currently in office are facing charges of complaints and crimes causing disgrace to what supposedly is a highly respected and venerable Upper Chamber.

Adding to the drama are Sen. Pia Cayetano’s complaint that no one from the minority Senators asked how she was when gunshots were fired in the Senate; Sen. Imee Marcos’ presentation of a video alleging a plot to block VP Sara Duterte’s presidential bid and extend the term of her brother President Bongbong Marcos through Charter Change which the minority senators dismissed as “propaganda” and “fake news;” Sen. Loren Legarda’s unexpected switch to the Senate majority bloc catching her former allies off guard and dismayed, if not shocked.

Considering all these political theatrics, is the Senate hopeless? Can we ever redeem this supposedly august Chamber, and restore the glory days of great statesmen like Senators Lorenzo Tañada, Jose Diokno, Jovito Salonga, Joker Arroyo, Raul Roco, and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

But wait, we still have 11 minority Senators left standing, who are on the other side of the battle defending fairness, rule of law, decency, and service to nation. If the arrests happen, they will be the new majority. Among the current 11 are Sen. Bam Aquino and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, who, it must be recalled that prior to the 2025 elections, they did not figure as winning the magic 12 in pre-election surveys. But when the official tally came out, Sen. Aquino was number two, and Sen. Pangilinan number five. Many political analysts explain this as the revenge of the young generation against traditional, corrupt politics, and the pivotal role of social media and information technology — where our young generation is heavily engaged in — in exposing what is wrong with our politics and political leaders.

All the drama happening now in the Senate as well as the efforts of the “few good men” are in full view of the voters. The Senate is under scrutiny, and public judgment will come in the forthcoming 2028 elections which is just around the corner. Let us educate ourselves and educate others. In that way, the Senate is not helpless, and that will certainly bring hope in our Senate.

(Nicomedes “Nick” Alviar, PhD is with the School of Politics and Governance, University of Asia and the Pacific.)