Personal issues hound august chamber

THE SENATE of the 17th Congress made the headlines in 2016 not because of its good performance in crafting and passing new laws beneficial to the country and its citizens, but mostly because of several issues, notably the private life of a lady senator, that hounded the chamber since it convened last July.

From choosing a new Senate president to investigation into the spate of extra-judicial killings and summary executions to the passing of one of the most prominent members of the Senate, the chamber has been among the main news items in print, broadcast, and even on the internet.