MANILA — The Philippine Senate presents itself as the country’s premier deliberative chamber—an institution built to withstand political storms while continuing to legislate. But recent leadership turmoil suggests a different reality: one marked by fractured alliances, stalled lawmaking, and an estimated P700 million price tag for institutional paralysis. Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s estimate that nearly P700 million was spent during 28 days of instability under former Senate Pres