By Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel
The Senate on Monday elected Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano as the new president of the Senate, replacing Senator Vicente C. Sotto III, just as the House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Voting 13-9 with two abstentions, the chamber expelled Mr.
Senators also elected Senator Lorna Regina B. Legarda as the new Senate president pro tempore, while Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva replaced Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri.
“In front of us may be impeachment [trial]but let me be clear, there are reports in the news – and I don’t blame you for what you are saying that the change of leadership is about impeachment, it is not,” said Mr. Cayetano in a press release.
During his speech as the new president of the Senate, he reiterated the importance of basing the impeachment process on Constitutional powers and evidence.
Joining the new majority block are Senators Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano, Ronald M. dela Rosa, Jose P. Estrada, Jr., Francis Joseph G. Escudero, Christopher Lawrence T. Go, Rodante D. Marcoleta, Maria Imelda R. Marcos, Robinhood C. Padilla, Mr. Villanueva, Camille, Villar-A.
However, for Mr. Sotto, the ouster plot “maybe” has something to do with the impeachment.
“Because if I were the president of the Senate, if the House approves the impeachment, I will set up and call the impeachment court,” he told reporters.
On Monday, the House moved to impeach Mrs. Duterte second with 255 votes. He was first convicted in February 2025 with the approval of 200 congressmen, which allowed the court to send the cases directly to the Senate for trial.
The impeachment petition, however, died in the Senate after it archived the complaints, which accused him of misappropriation of funds, unexplained wealth, attempts to overthrow, and conspiracy to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., his wife and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez. He denied all charges.
Meanwhile, Mr Zubiri has asked to be an independent member under the new leadership.
“I want to be an independent member of this August organization so I don’t want to join Manyi or Idlanzana so that I don’t have a political stain,” he told reporters in a Viber message.
Mr. Zubiri and Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito were the only two who did not vote during the voting period.
Political analysts are looking at the leadership change as a way to save Ms. Duterte from impeachment.
“The most expected result is that the Senate did not convene as a court of immediate prosecution,” said Edmund S. Tayao, president and CEO of the Political Economic Elemental Researchers and Strategists, told. BusinessWorld by text message.
To Mr. Tayao, this also pointed to the constitutional problem, noting that the worst that could come out of this recent incident is that the Senate does not convene as a court of impeachment in the event of a case against Ms. Duterte.
Amr Solon S. Sison, who teaches political science at Far Eastern University, said the change in leadership could have a major impact on the trial.
“It is possible that they will postpone the trial, especially with the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) on the matter ‘immediately’ when the SC said that the Senate has the right,” said Mr. Sison in a Messenger interview, but noted that they should act on the case because it is their responsibility.
