The official Senate of the Philippines website now identifies Sherwin Gatchalian as president pro tempore, and the page no longer carries any reference to Alan Peter Cayetano holding the chamber’s top post.
That change to the public record follows a contentious plenary sitting on Wednesday, June 3, in which 12 senators voted to empty every leadership seat in the chamber. According to Inquirer and Rappler, the quorum became possible only when Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero walked onto the floor to join the 11-member bloc that had been moving against Cayetano. None of the senators aligned with the majority Cayetano once led attended.
The reports indicate that former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III opened the proceedings with a motion to vacate all elected positions, a motion that drew no objection and was approved. Sotto then nominated Gatchalian for the second-ranking position. Gatchalian presided over the day’s session, which had not been able to convene for the two days prior because of the absence of Cayetano and his allies.
Although senators present designated Gatchalian to act as Senate president, he was not installed in that office. As Inquirer noted, the 1987 Constitution requires 13 votes to seat a Senate president, and only 12 senators were on hand. The Senate Rules provide that the president pro tempore steps in as acting head when the presidency is vacant.
In justifying the decision to convene, Gatchalian pointed to a constitutional limit on how long the chamber may stand idle. “Article VI, Section 16(5) of the Constitution provides that neither House shall, during sessions of Congress, adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other House,” Rappler quoted him as saying, adding that the Senate had been unable to sit for two days and risked a constitutional breach.
Malacañang threw its support behind the reorganized chamber. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters that the administration recognized the new majority and Gatchalian’s leadership, describing the afternoon’s events as consistent with the rule of law.
Cayetano rejected all of it. Speaking on a Facebook livestream after adjournment, he maintained that nothing had stripped him of his office. “I am still the legitimate, legal, moral Senate President,” he said, branding the maneuver an “illegal coup” and accusing the bloc of trampling on the Constitution. He further alleged that the shake-up was timed to scuttle a blue ribbon committee hearing scheduled for the following day.
The reconstituted majority returned several familiar figures to power, among them Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, who reclaimed the post of majority leader. The same group reassigned committee chairmanships, handing the finance panel to JV Ejercito and the blue ribbon committee to Erwin Tulfo, while Gatchalian took over the pro tempore role previously held by Loren Legarda.
