Sa kanyang paglilinaw, iginiit ni Gatchalian na ang tanging ginawa niya ay hilingin na mapag-usapan ang panukala sa Senate Committee on Local Government.
“Let me go straight to the point. I did not vote for the approval of the proposed Marcos Day in Ilocos Norte contrary to what some media organizations published,” sabi ng senador.
Dagdag pa nito, “The exact words that I said during the hearing were: I’m moving for an omnibus endorsement to the TWG to reconcile the different versions and also to request for position papers from the resource persons. I so move’.”
Una na ring pinabulaanan ni Sen. Nancy Binay na bumoto siya pabor sa panukala.
“I had to leave the hybrid hearing of the Senate committee on local government after the discussion on the re-districting of the province of Bulacan due to a prior commitment. Thus, I was no longer a part of the hearing when House Bill No. 7137 was tackled and discussed,” paliwanag naman ni Binay.