MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano did not need to seek permission from the Senate if his reported trip to Singapore was purely personal, amid growing attention over the minority leader’s departure from the Philippines.
Gatchalian made the clarification on Thursday after photos circulated online showing Cayetano at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport reportedly preparing to board a flight to Singapore. Gatchalian said, however, that he had not personally verified the reports about Cayetano’s trip.
“If it is a private or personal trip, you don’t need to inform the Senate.”
According to Gatchalian, senators are free to travel abroad for personal reasons without securing a Senate travel authority, provided they return in time for scheduled Senate sessions or hearings. A travel authority, he explained, applies to official government travel, not private trips.
Cayetano reportedly flies to Singapore
Reports published Thursday said Cayetano was seen at NAIA Terminal 3, where he reportedly lined up for Singapore Airlines flight SQ 921, which departed at about 6:34 p.m. Wednesday.
Philstar separately reported that Cayetano was spotted at the airport before departing for Singapore, while TV5 also reported the senator’s departure and said the Bureau of Immigration later confirmed that both Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Senator Pia Cayetano, were out of the country.
The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that both senators were outside the Philippines and said its records showed that there were no hold-departure orders or derogatory records against them as of their departure date that would legally prevent them from leaving the country.
The BI, however, declined to disclose the senators’ specific travel details, including their itinerary, citing the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
No travel authority for personal trips
Gatchalian emphasized that the Senate’s rules distinguish between official and personal travel.
If a senator is traveling for official government business, a travel authority is required. But if the trip is personal, Gatchalian said there is no requirement to secure such authority or formally seek Senate permission.
He added that senators simply need to make sure they return before they are required to attend a Senate session or hearing.
Gatchalian also noted that the Senate generally operates on a four-day workweek, meaning senators can potentially travel during periods when the chamber is not in session, provided they meet their official obligations.
Trip comes amid SEA Games controversy
Cayetano’s departure has attracted particular attention because it comes as authorities continue looking into alleged irregularities connected with the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
The National Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that it has encountered difficulty directly linking Cayetano to alleged SEA Games anomalies because of the lack of a paper trail. The NBI also noted that although Cayetano had been publicly associated with the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, he was not listed on the organization’s board of trustees when it was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The timing of Cayetano’s departure therefore fueled speculation online about whether the senator might face possible legal action.
But speculation is not the same as an indictment. There is currently no verified information in the sources reviewed establishing that Cayetano has been indicted or is barred from leaving the country.
In fact, the Bureau of Immigration explicitly confirmed that there was no hold-departure order or derogatory record against him as of his departure date.
Cayetano remains a central figure in the Senate leadership dispute
The latest development also comes against the backdrop of months of political tension inside the Senate.
Gatchalian was installed as Senate President after a leadership shake-up in June, while Cayetano has continued to maintain that he remains the legitimate Senate president. The dispute has produced competing claims over Senate leadership and authority.
Cayetano currently serves as Senate Minority Leader under the Gatchalian-led Senate structure, while continuing to challenge aspects of the leadership transition.
The political divide has previously spilled into disputes over committee hearings, Senate operations and the organization of legislative work.
What happens next?
For now, the key issue surrounding Cayetano’s trip is not whether he needed Senate permission — Gatchalian’s position is that he did not, if the trip was personal.
The bigger question is what prompted the trip and whether it has any connection to the ongoing investigations surrounding the 2019 SEA Games.
As of Thursday, authorities have confirmed Cayetano’s departure but have not disclosed his itinerary, while Gatchalian said he had yet to independently verify the circumstances of the reported trip.
That leaves one question hanging over the latest political drama:
Why Singapore, and what happens when Cayetano returns?
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