Alan Cayetano: No Senate leadership change expected before session break
At A Glance
- Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano rejected speculations there would be changes in the Senate leadership before the Upper Chamber adjourns session on Friday, October 10.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, October 8 rejected speculations there would be changes in the Senate leadership before the Upper Chamber adjourns session on Friday, October 10.
“There’s none. I don’t think so. I think Sen. (Chiz) Escudero is preparing for his birthday,” Cayetano told reporters in a press briefing.
Cayetano denied there is a resolution now being routed among senators that seeks to replace Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
Last month, Sotto replaced Escudero as Senate president after the position was declared vacant in the plenary. No senator opposed the move.
As far as he is concerned, Cayetano said the minority bloc is not actively “courting” members of the Senate majority bloc for a possible shakeup.
“But if it falls on our lap, and the others decide to join, but so far there’s no active courting now,” he said.
Cayetano noted that Sotto’s supporters are vigilant against any Senate leadership changes because they believe in what they are doing.
“But the minority also have very enthusiastic, active supporters because they believe that we can also bring about something good,” he said.
The Cayetano-led minority bloc now has nine members which includes, the so-called Duterte bloc.
Last Monday, Sotto expressed confidence that he still has the support of majority of the senators amid reports that some are planning to leave the majority bloc due to disagreements in the ongoing investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the flood control project controversy.
The Senate is set to go on a break starting October 11 and will resume sessions on Nov. 10, 2025.