Hounded by colleagues, Villar leads Senate in absenteeism

Leading presidential contender Sen. Manuel Villar, whom his rivals have accused of spending more time campaigning than performing his duties as an elected official, had the worst attendance record of all the senators, with the exception of the incarcerated Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, according to an examination of Senate records by GMANews.TV. Of the 45 Senate sessions since the third regular session started on July 27, 2009, Villar was only able to attend 15 sessions. He was late – or arrived after roll call -- on 12 of those occasions. Villar, one of the two frontrunners in the presidential race, was recorded absent on official mission 24 times and was out on official business once. He was absent without any notice five times. Senators who went out on official mission or official business have the permission of the Senate President. Villar's frequent absences occurred at a time when he was organizing his formidable campaign machine and deflecting corruption charges by his Senate colleagues. Notably, Villar was among the 12 senators absent at the last Senate session on February 3 when the Senate was expected to vote on whether to censure him for allegedly profiting from the C-5 Extension project. Sen. Richard Gordon was among those who complained on the floor that the “boycott" by Villar allies prevented Senate work on other pressing matters. Villar did show up the day before to deliver a speech on the Senate floor to defend himself. That was the last time he was seen on the floor. The Senate adjourned the next day after less than half of its members attended. The chamber is expected to convene again on May 31. However, it will assemble with the House of Representatives as the National Board of Canvassers for the presidential elections. Among other Senators with spotty attendance records are Villar’s arch-enemy and primary accuser Sen. Jamby Madrigal, who was on time at only 20 sessions, and Villar’s principal ally, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who was punctual 14 times, late at 16 other sessions, and absent without official permission four times. Perfect records Only three senators were able to attend all the chamber’s sessions on time, records of the Senate Journal Division indicated. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Pro Tempore Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada, and Senator Gregorio Honasan were able to attend all 45 sessions of the Senate. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile was present at 43 sessions, arrived late – or after the roll call started – only once. He also went out on official mission only once. The Senate's roll call at each session is recorded by hand into the Senate Journal and not tabulated into a computer or officially released. GMANews.TV had to examine each Senator's attendance individually. Since it is part of the Senators' sworn duty as legislators to attend Senate sessions, their attendance record is a matter of public interest. GMANews.TV has sought to do the same at the House of Representatives, but the sheer size of the lower chamber -- with 269 members -- has made combing through hand written and uncomputerized attendance records a longer term task. The House also does not compile, and officially release, attendance records on its own. "We elect senators presumably because we want their point of view or their standpoint to be represented," said Prof. Marvic Leonen, Dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law. "When they are absent, they default on this expectation." Attendance and tardiness records of other Senators Senator Joker Arroyo was absent only once and attended 44 sessions but was recorded late six times. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was present at 35 sessions and was absent only thrice due to a persistent illness, chronic fatigue syndrome. She went on official mission seven times. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel attended 34 sessions, was out on official mission six times and on official business once. He was absent five times due to illness. The other presidential frontrunner – Senator Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III – was present at 32 sessions, arrived after the roll call eight times and went on official mission thrice. Senator Francis “Chiz" Escudero attended 31 sessions, present but late at 12 sessions, went out once on official mission and was absent once due to sickness. Senator Panfilo “Ping" Lacson was present at 30 sessions, went on official mission seven times and on official business four times. He was absent four times because he fled the country in early January to avoid what he claims was “harassment" in connection with the double murder case filed against him. Actor-turned-politician Senator Ramon “Bong" Revilla Jr. was present at 29 sessions, arrived after the roll call 11 times, went on official mission thrice and on official business twice. Senator Pilar Juliana “Pia" Cayetano was present at 29 sessions, was late twice, went on official mission nine times, on official business twice and was absent only once. Senator Edgardo Angara attended 28 sessions, arrived late eight times, went on official mission seven times, and on official business once. Senator Manuel “Lito" Lapid recorded an attendance at 28 sessions, was late once, and went on official mission 10 times, most of which when he was with the delegation of President Arroyo to meet US President Barack Obama. Lapid had six absences. Vice Presidential candidate Senator Loren Legarda was present at 27 sessions, was recorded late five times, went on official mission nine times and on official business thrice. Another VP candidate Senator Manuel Roxas II attended 24 sessions, arrived after the roll call thrice, went on official mission 10 times and on official business twice. He was absent without official permission four times. Senator Francis Pangilinan was present and on time at 23 sessions, arrived after the roll call 15 times, went on official mission four times and on official business once. Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby" Madrigal attended 20 sessions, was recorded late 15 times and went on official mission eight times. Senator Richard Gordon was present at 19 sessions, arrived late 16 times and went on official mission nine times. Senator Rodolfo Biazon attended 15 sessions, was recorded late 10 times, went on official mission four times, and was absent 13 times, mostly due to illness. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was present at 14 sessions. He arrived late 16 times, went on official mission nine times, and on official business thrice. He was absent four times. There are no penalties for chronic absenteeism and tardiness, except perhaps in the court of public opinion. According to Antonio La Viña, Dean of the Ateneo School of Government, "When we vote a senator into office, we intend for him or her to actively participate in a collegial body where decisions become better as they are deliberated and adopted through collective wisdom. Excessive absenteeism negates this intention." Enrile happy about Senate performance Despite the controversies, feuding, and absenteeism, Senate President Enrile was happy about the performance of the Senate. “I am proud to say that this Congress has passed more bills than the 11th, 12th and 13th Congress combined," Enrile said in an earlier press release. “Out of around 500 Senate and House bills that were passed on third reading, more than half were enacted into law," he added. He described the chamber’s accomplishments for the Third Regular Session, which commenced last July 27 and adjourned on December 18 in time for the holiday season, and resumed on January 18 for a 3-week session, as “laborious but gainful." “It was hard work but we are duty-bound to perform our mandate as duly elected Senators of the Republic," the Senate President said. One of Enrile's last acts as Senate President was reading into the record the Senate committee of the whole's report seeking Villar's censure for the C-5 controversy. Villar and his allies were absent again when the measure came up for a vote. - RJAB Jr./HGS, GMANews.TV