Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has emerged as the Senate minority bloc’s preferred candidate for Senate president, with Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan publicly endorsing him on Saturday — nearly two weeks after Alan Peter Cayetano took over the chamber’s leadership.
Pangilinan cited Gatchalian’s conduct during the 2026 national budget deliberations as the basis for the endorsement, describing the senator as “competent, steady, and fair.” The minority bloc, which now stands at 13 members after Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and JV Ejercito formally joined its ranks, has been weighing its options since Cayetano’s surprise takeover on May 11, when a coalition of 13 senators voted to unseat then-Senate President Tito Sotto.
What may give the push added weight is Pangilinan’s claim that Cayetano himself is not opposed to the idea. “Even current Senate President Cayetano has said he might vote for Senator Win as Senate President,” Pangilinan said.
The minority’s decision to back Gatchalian over other potential candidates reflects broader internal dynamics. Reports indicate that an earlier arrangement involving Senator Francis Escudero — who had reportedly sought majority support on the condition that he be installed as Senate president — was rejected by key minority figures, with Senator Raffy Tulfo cited as a decisive voice against accepting that deal.
Pangilinan framed Gatchalian’s candidacy in terms of institutional reform. “In realpolitik, he can unite a broader, reform-oriented Senate that is more balanced, more accountable, and acceptable even to some members of the current majority,” the senator said in a statement.
Cayetano’s hold on the majority remains narrow at 13-11, a margin that has kept the possibility of another leadership shift alive as the minority continues to court potential crossovers.
