Senate coup: Sotto out, Cayetano takes over

MANILA, Philippines — In a sudden leadership shakeup, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano emerged as the new Senate president, unseating Vicente Sotto III yesterday with votes of 13-9 amid swirling rumors that the coup was orchestrated to block an impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Following his election, Cayetano took his oath as the chamber’s new chief, while Sen. Loren Legarda was sworn in as the new Senate president pro tempore, replacing Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Malacañang acknowledged Cayetano’s takeover as Senate president. “The Senate has decided its own leadership,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Viber message to reporters.

The overhaul began when Sen. Joel Villanueva moved to vacate the Senate leadership positions, with Sen. Imee Marcos then nominating Cayetano for the top post, while Lacson nominated Sotto to retain the presidency.

The scales tipped in Cayetano’s favor after key senators jumped ship to form the new majority, notably his sister Sen. Pia Cayetano, Legarda and Senators Mark Villar and Camille Villar.

Legarda and the Villars have recently found themselves embattled under the administration of President Marcos.

Legarda’s son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, is currently locked in legal and political conflicts with the administration over his business dealings as well as his allegations over flood control projects.

Meanwhile, the Villar family is facing multiple legal and regulatory challenges, including being linked to market manipulation and to questionable government infrastructure contracts, now being investigated by the Department of Justice.

The other senators who cast their votes for Cayetano were Marcos, Ronald dela Rosa, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Robin Padilla, Villanueva and Sotto, who extended traditional parliamentary courtesy to his rival.

Nine senators backed Sotto: Bam Aquino, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Lacson and Cayetano, who similarly cast a courtesy vote.

Senators JV Ejercito and outgoing majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri abstained during the roll call.

Following the shakeup, Zubiri declared that he would no longer align with any bloc in the chamber. — Helen Flores