MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Senate was plunged into political uncertainty on Wednesday after a group of 12 senators declared all leadership positions vacant and announced that Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was no longer Senate President, in a move immediately disputed by rival lawmakers and the outgoing leadership.
In a joint statement, the 12-member bloc said it convened with a quorum and invoked the Supreme Court ruling in Avelino v. Cuenco to justify proceeding with chamber business despite the absence of other senators. The group voted to vacate all Senate posts, including the presidency.
“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 base number of 22 under Avelino v. Cuenco, voted to declare all positions vacant,” the statement read.
The bloc acknowledged that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian cannot yet be formally elected Senate President, citing the constitutional requirement of at least 13 votes. Gatchalian was instead named acting Senate President pending a formal election.
The senators identified as part of the bloc include Sherwin Gatchalian, 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.
The development followed two days of stalled Senate sessions after members aligned with Cayetano failed to attend plenary proceedings. The deadlock was broken when Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero unexpectedly appeared, allowing the chamber to reach quorum.
The new majority cited legal precedent to argue that the Senate could continue functioning despite the absence of a full membership, emphasizing the need to prevent legislative paralysis.
Erwin Tulfo said Escudero’s presence was decisive in establishing quorum and enabling the session to proceed. He also said Escudero had initially intended to attend earlier but delayed his decision after consulting family members and advisers.
Cayetano rejected the move, calling it an “illegal coup d’etat” in a social media broadcast and insisting that at least 13 votes are required under the Constitution and Senate rules to elect or remove leadership.
He argued that a group of 12 senators could not legally declare the presidency vacant and questioned the validity of the proceedings.
Cayetano also cited Senate rules stating that the Senate President Pro Tempore only assumes presidential functions in cases of absence, resignation, death, or incapacity, not through a contested leadership declaration.
Escudero, in a separate statement, said his decision to attend was guided by institutional responsibility rather than political alignment.
“My allegiance is not to any faction, personality, group or alliance,” he said, adding that the prolonged standoff had become “untenable and unacceptable” and was disrupting the Senate’s ability to function.
The Philippine government’s executive branch said it recognizes the leadership change, signaling possible administrative acceptance of the shift.
The Senate remains divided as questions persist over quorum interpretation, voting thresholds, and procedural legitimacy under Philippine constitutional law.
Wire report for international publication
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
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