MALACANANG has formally acknowledged the emergence of a “new majority” in the Senate and the leadership of Senate President Pro Tempore Win Gatchalian, following the resumption of plenary sessions on Wednesday, June 3.
The breakthrough came after Senator Chiz Escudero attended the sitting, ending a two-day deadlock that prevented the chamber from convening.
During a press briefing shortly after the session concluded, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated, “Ang nangyari sa senado ngayong hapon ay naaayon sa batas at rule of law. Kinikilala at nirerespeto ng Palasyo ang desisyon ng bagong mayorya at liderato ni acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.” In English, this translates to: “What happened in the Senate this afternoon is in accordance with the law and the rule of law. The Palace acknowledges and respects the decision of the new majority and the leadership of acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.”
Escudero’s presence was key to establishing a quorum, with 12 senators eventually present. Once the quorum was declared, Senator Tito Sotto filed a motion to declare all Senate leadership positions vacant, which was approved by Gatchalian, who was presiding over the session at the time.
Following this move, Gatchalian was elected as Senate President Pro Tempore, taking over the post previously held by Senator Loren Legarda. The body also elected new heads for several key Senate committees, with assignments as follows:
- Finance: Sen. JV Ejercito
- National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation: Sen. Tito Sotto
- Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, and Accounts: Sen. Ping Lacson
- Blue Ribbon Committee and Social Justice: Sen. Erwin Tulfo
- Public Services: Sen. Raffy Tulfo
- Basic Education: Sen. Bam Aquino
- Agriculture: Sen. Kiko Pangilinan
- Health and Demography: Sen. Risa Hontiveros
- Games and Amusement: Sen. Lito Lapid
- Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement: Sen. Chiz Escudero
- Foreign Relations and Rules: Sen. Migz Zubiri
However, Erwin Tulfo clarified in a separate briefing after the session adjourned that Senator Alan Peter Cayetano remains the official Senate president. He noted that Senate rules require the vote of at least 13 senators to formally remove a sitting Senate president — a threshold that was not met during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Cayetano himself contested the day’s developments immediately, taking to a live broadcast to denounce the leadership changes as an “illegal coup.”
“Wala pong ground para magkaroon ng acting president. This is an illegal coup d’état na may kasamang pagbabasura ng ating Konstitusyon,” Cayetano said. His statement translates to: “There is no ground to have an acting Senate president. This is an illegal coup d’état with a disregard for our Constitution.”
He emphasized that he remains the rightful head of the chamber, describing himself as the “legitimate, legal, and moral Senate president.”
The developments have deepened the division within the Senate, with two competing claims to leadership and differing interpretations of the chamber’s rules and constitutional provisions now at the center of the dispute.
