Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was elected on Tuesday, August 19 to the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), a body that decides on electoral protests in the Senate of the Philippines.

The Senate announced his election was announced on the plenary floor during the chamber’s 3 p.m. session. He will be joining other Senate majority bloc members Senators Pia Cayetano, Robinhood Padilla, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Camille Villar in the SET.

The Senate, however, has yet to settle one more representative for the Minority in order to complete the six members for the Senate contingent.

Earlier, Cayetano temporarily withdrew his nomination for the Commission on Appointments (CA), paving the way to resolve a deadlock over Senate representation between the Majority and Minority blocs.

With three slots available in the CA after Cayetano’s move, Senators Loren Legarda, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, and Risa Hontiveros were also elected on Tuesday as representatives of the Senate Minority bloc in the CA.

Cayetano and Zubiri will share the CA seat, with each serving one and a half years each.

Expressing his gratitude, Zubiri took to the floor to thank Cayetano for the CA term sharing and giving way for more diverse representation in CA.

“I’d just like to put on record my deep appreciation for the move of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano who allowed me to take the first half of the CA seat. The 0.5, to let me take the year and a half. I’d like to thank his magnanimity and diplomatic approach to the situation. My deep appreciation also to the Majority bloc for allowing this to happen,” Zubiri said.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero also expressed his gratitude to Cayetano for his magnanimity.

The SET’s primary task, according to its website, is to “resolve all electoral contests brought within its jurisdiction through just, expeditious and inexpensive proceedings.”

Section 17, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution mandates the creation of the SET and House Electoral Tribunals.