This major change in the upper chamber of the House coincides with the voting of the lower chamber on the Impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
On Monday, May 11, the Senate became the center of an action-packed afternoon as a leadership coup, which had been brewing for weeks, had taken place.
This, as Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, who assumed the post in September 2025, was ousted after a majority number of senators backed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as the new leader of the body.
At the said plenary session, 13 senators voted motion for the change of leadership, 10 negative votes, and 2 abstentions.
Those who voted “Yes” for a leadership change were Senators Alan Peter Cayetano; her sister Pia Cayetano; Rodante Marcoleta; Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go; Robinhood Padilla; Loren Legarda; Imee Marcos; Camille Villar; Mark Villar; Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa; Joel Villanueva; Jinggoy Estrada; and Francis Escudero.
Meanwhile, who abstained were Senators JV Ejercito and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Those who voted “No” were Senators Vicente Sotto III; Panfilo Lacson; Francis Pangilinan; Risa Hontiveros; Bam Aquino; Lito Lapid; Raffy Tulfo; Erwin Tulfo; and Sherwin Gatchalian.
Soon after, Cayetano took his oath of office before Sen. Camille Villar and was joined by his wife, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, and his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano.
In his acceptance speech, Cayetano urged his colleagues to unite for the Filipino people.
“We want to be free from poverty. We want to be free from corruption. We want to be free from a government that is busy fighting its own people or the people fighting each other,” he said. “Hindi ito social media na bawat minuto ay nagbabangayan. In real life, we have to be here with each other.”
He then reflected on the bigger geopolitical situation affecting countries around rhe world. “Buong mundo na in crisis because of the US-Iran-Israel war. Napakahirap minsan paniwalaan na may magandang plano.”
“We might not feel the crisis here in the session hall, but our people—may it be the Grab drivers, tricycle drivers, jeepney drivers, the small carinderia owners, the beneficiaries of 4Ps—ramdam na ramdam na nila,” he added.
Cayetano also addressed the timing of the shakeup, which coincided with the voting at rhe House of Representatives on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Lower House voted to pursue the impeachment of the VP and will transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on Tuesday (May 12) for trial.
“May mga lumabas sa news… na ang pagpalit ng leadership ay tungkol sa impeachment, hindi po,” the new SP said, adding that the Impeachment process will also place the Senate on trial.
Meanwhile, Sen. Loren Legarda was elected as the new Senate President Pro Tempore, succeeding Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, while Sen. Joel Villanueva was designated Acting Majority Leader.