Win Gatchalian is acting Senate president

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian was elected as the new Senate president pro tempore on Wednesday, June 3, and is now the acting Senate president.

Senator Chiz Escudero joined the Senate minority in the Wednesday session to help them constitute a quorum and pave the way for the convening of the session. No other member of the majority bloc attended.

Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that the latest Senate leadership shake-up did not affect his grip on the Senate presidency, but the new majority led by Gatchalian cited the approved motion to declare all elected seats in the Senate vacant and cited jurisprudence to support the legitimacy of their actions.

Gatchalian’s oath was administered by Senator Tito Sotto, as the most senior member of the chamber.

Senator Migz Zubiri was elected as the chair of the Senate committee on rules. The Senate also elected Rey Bantug Jr. as Senate secretary, replacing Jose Luis Montales; and Police Major General Alfredo Sotto Corpuz as the new Senate sergeant-at-arms, replacing Mao Aplasca.

The Senate also elected the following senators as committee chairpersons:

• JV Ejercito: Finance
• Tito Sotto: National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation
• Ping Lacson: Public Order and Accounts
• Erwin Tulfo: Accountability of public officers and investigations; social justice, welfare, and rural development
• Raffy Tulfo: Public services
• Bam Aquino: Basic education
• Kiko Pangilinan: Agriculture, food and agrarian reform
• Risa Hontiveros: Health and demography
• Lito Lapid: Games and Amusement
• Chiz Escudero: Urban planning, housing and Resettlement
• Migz Zubiri: Foreign relations

‘We were compelled to call the session to order’

Before the session was adjourned, Gatchalian explained what compelled them to call the session to order that day.

He noted the failure of Cayetano, as Senate president, to appear in the last two sessions on Monday, June 1, and Tuesday, June 2.

“Further, Article VI, Section 16(5) of the Constitution provides that neither House shall, during sessions of Congress, adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other House. The Senate has been adjourned and unable to resume session for the past two days, placing us on the brink of a constitutional violation had we not convened today,” Gatchalian said.

“Thus, in the absence of a duly consulted postponement and the continued absence of the Senate President, Senate President Pro Tempore, and members of the majority, we were compelled to call the session to order,” he added.

He said that the quorum of 12 they had to convene the session is based on the 22 senators “over whom jurisdiction can be obtained by the Senate.” Senator Bato dela Rosa is in hiding to evade an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest while Senate Jinggoy Estrada has been detained for plunder charges linked to the flood control mess.

“This is in full accord with the ruling of the Court in Avelino v. Cuenco, that an absolute majority of 12 out of 23 members can constitute a constitutional majority of the Senate for quorum purposes; and with precedent, specifically the May 5, 2015 Session where the quorum was based on seventeen (17) available senators, with seven (7) others beyond the Senate’s coercive jurisdiction,” Gatchalian explained.

Malacañang quickly recognized the leadership of Gatchalian. 

“Ang nangyari sa Senado ngayong hapon ay naayon sa batas at rule of law. Kinikilala at nirerespeto ng Palasyo ang desisyon ng bagong mayorya at ang liderato ni acting Senate president Sherwin Gatchalian,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a statement she read. 

(What happened in the Senate this afternoon conforms with the law and the rule of law. The Palace recognizes and respects the decision of the new majority and the leadership of acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.) 

‘Taking a stand for the Senate’

Escudero, for his part, said of his decision to attend the session: “When political divisions become too extreme and obstruct our mandate, we must have the courage to pause, reflect, and realize that we should put the Senate, as the institution we serve, above ourselves.”

“This is not a political contest. I am not taking sides. I am taking a stand for the Senate,” he also said.

The Sotto bloc has been pushing for Gatchalian to replace Cayetano as Senate president as the latter’s leadership was marked by chaos, controversy, and growing resignation calls from various sectors and groups.

“He is capable, qualified and prepares for his work. In all the committee hearings he attended or presided over, he knew what he was talking about and he was prepared. So we see him as eminently qualified to become the Senate President of the 20th Congress at least,” Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said of Gatchalian in a mix of English and Filipino in a DZMM interview on DZMM on May 23.

Senator Francis Pangilinan cited Gatchalian’s work as chair of the Senate committee on finance, noting that Gatchalian ensured that the 2026 national budget was properly allocated.

Before he was replaced as chair of the finance panel following the May 11 Senate leadership shake-up, Gatchalian pushed for greater public participation in the budget process and flagged suspicious multi-billion-peso infrastructure projects. He was replaced by Senator Mark Villar.

Cayetano himself had appeared to be supportive of Gatchalian. During a plenary session on May 20, amid persistent rumors of another Senate coup and Gatchalian as his successor, Cayetano joked that he “might vote for him one day.” – Rappler.com