A newly formed majority faction in the Philippine Senate has declared that Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is no longer serving as Senate President following a session held on Wednesday.
The Solid Bloc 12, a new majority group in the Philippine Senate comprising 12 senators, officially announced the removal of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President after their Wednesday session. The group stated, “For clarity, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano is no longer Senate President after the Senate, with 12 senators present and a quorum declared based on the recognized number of 22 under Avelino v. Cuenco, voted to declare all positions vacant, including the presidency of the institution.” Although Senator Win Gatchalian has yet to be formally elected as the new Senate President—requiring 13 votes as per the Constitution—the declaration vacates all Senate leadership positions, ending the previous leadership and allowing the Senate to continue its work for the people. The 12 senators in the Solid Bloc include Senate President Pro-tempore Sherwin Gatchalian, Senators Vicente Sotto III, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Francis Pangilinan, Francis Escudero, Bam Aquino, Lito Lapid, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, and JV Ejercito. Following Senator Escudero’s shift to the new majority, Cayetano’s group now holds only 10 senators, including Pia Cayetano, Bong Co, Loren Legarda, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Joel Villanueva, Robin Padilla, Camille Villar, and Mark Villar. Two allied senators unable to attend the session were Jinggoy Estrada, detained due to corruption and plunder charges, and Bato dela Rosa, reportedly in hiding due to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. The Wednesday session also approved Gatchalian as acting Senate President. Senate sessions had previously been stalled due to absences by Cayetano’s group, but Escudero’s attendance enabled a quorum. The new majority relied on Supreme Court jurisprudence (Avelino v. Cuenco) to validate their quorum with 12 senators present. Senator Erwin Tulfo acknowledged Escudero’s defection as pivotal in achieving the quorum. Initially, Tulfo insisted Cayetano remained Senate President due to lack of a 13th vote, but later clarified that the Senate Presidency is deemed vacant, aligning with the events leading to the new majority’s formation. Under Senate Rule IV, Section 4, the Senate President Pro Tempore assumes the responsibilities of the Senate President during any absence. The change marks a significant reshuffling in the Senate leadership landscape, with potential implications for legislative priorities and governance. This political development is crucial for stakeholders monitoring Philippines’ legislative environment and governance stability.
Sources referenced:
- https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/balitambayan/balita/990115/alan-peter-cayetano-talsik-na-bilang-senate-president-ayon-sa-bagong-majority-bloc/story/