Minority bloc rejected offer for Escudero to retake Senate presidency
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Chiz Escudero's bid to be re-elected as Senate president fell through after his offer to join the minority bloc was "immediately" rejected by the 11-member group, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said Monday, May 25.
"There were discussions, but it was immediately shut down by the minority bloc," Pangilinan said in an interview on ANC's Headstart.
The minority bloc, which calls itself Solid Block 11, is backing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian for Senate president.
The offer to make Escudero the new Senate president in exchange for his defection to the new minority was made by others on his behalf, Pangilinan said, without detailing who.
"There were discussions, intermediaries, but not Senator Chiz himself," Pangilinan said. "Immediately, hindi na pinalaki pa dahil solid 'yung 11. Hindi acceptable proposition na 'yun."
Talks of an ouster have been brewing almost immediately since Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano was elected May 11, when 13 senators — mostly Duterte allies, including Escudero — voted to oust then-Senate President Tito Sotto III. Pangilinan was among 10 who voted to keep Sotto. Two abstained.
Pangilinan said Sotto was the one who proposed Gatchalian as a compromise candidate to break the impasse, and all 11 minority senators quickly lined up behind him.
"In fairness to former Senate President Sotto, he was the one who suggested Win as a compromise candidate for us in the Senate to break the impasse," Pangilinan said. "And that's why it was very easy for all 11 to throw our support for Win."
Two votes short
The Solid Block 11 still needs two more senators to dislodge Cayetano.
Asked whether Senators Mark Villar and Camille Villar were being courted, Pangilinan declined to name names but confirmed back-channel talks were underway.
"There are several senators on our end who are doing back-channel talks," he said.
He said the bloc was also prepared to remain at 11 if no defections came through. "We are also open to just staying where we are, solid 11," Pangilinan said, "and work as a united solid group to provide a counterbalance to the disinformation, to the disregard for our rules."
Pangilinan said public pressure could push majority senators to reconsider, citing street mobilizations and statements from student councils calling for Cayetano's resignation.
"I've never come across public outcry, outrage directed at a Senate president and calling for his resignation," he said. "Senators are sensitive to public opinion."
Escudero was Senate president from May 2024 to September 2025, when he was ousted in a coup led by the Sotto-aligned majority amid the flood control scandal.
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