Another round of political maneuvering is underway in the Philippine Senate, with sources telling Inquirer.net that the votes needed to unseat Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano have already been secured — less than two weeks after he assumed the post.
The identity of his replacement remains contested. One source pointed to Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as a viable option, citing his perceived acceptability to senators across the majority and minority blocs. Zubiri previously served as Senate president beginning July 2022 before being removed and replaced by Escudero in May 2024.
A separate source, however, said that as of Monday morning, discussions were leaning toward Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero reclaiming the position he lost in September 2025. The same source noted that Escudero’s main card in the negotiations was a promise that some members of the current majority bloc would shift allegiance if he returned to the leadership.
A senator who spoke on condition of anonymity acknowledged the reported head count but could not confirm who the next Senate president would be, saying only: “They only said that the numbers have supposedly already been secured.”
The source also disclosed that Cabinet officials and members of the First Family had been making calls to senators ahead of the expected change.
Cayetano’s brief stint as Senate president has been clouded by two significant controversies. The first was a shooting incident between Senate security personnel and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, which erupted at 7:46 p.m. last Wednesday as the chamber took custody of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Hours later, at around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, dela Rosa left the Senate building alongside Sen. Robin Padilla — a development Cayetano confirmed based on a report from the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Dela Rosa’s departure came as the International Criminal Court continues to pursue proceedings connected to his alleged role in the Philippine drug war.
The shooting incident and dela Rosa’s exit are said to have fueled discontent among several senators. Escudero, whose previous removal was linked to allegations that he delayed the first impeachment bid against Vice President Sara Duterte and to the anomalous flood control projects scandal, was among those who voted for Cayetano on May 11.
