Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Tuesday, May 12, that they were caught off guard by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda’s sudden move to shift political alignment in the Senate.

This was amid the leadership change on Monday, May 11, which led to Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano replacing Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.

In an interview on DZMM, Lacson said the sentiment was shared among members of the former majority bloc, who have since moved to the minority. He stressed that while he accepts the political reality of shifting alliances, the manner of Legarda’s departure was what struck them.

“Ang medyo masakit…pagka meron kang original na kasama na isa sa pinakamasugid na walang iwanan, tapos bigla kami naiwanan (The painful part is that when you have an original companion who was one of the most loyal—someone who never left your side—and then suddenly we were the ones left behind),” Lacson said.

He noted that there were no major issues between their bloc and other senators, such as Senator Pia Cayetano and Senators Mark and Camille Villar, but emphasized that Legarda had been part of their core group since the beginning.

According to Lacson, their group had worked closely together even after the 2025 elections, frequently holding meetings as they organized leadership arrangements for the incoming 20th Congress.

He contrasted Legarda’s move with other senators who had previously shifted alliances but formally informed their colleagues before doing so, citing Senators JV Ejercito and Sherwin Gatchalian, referring to then Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

Lacson said his concern was not about positions or committee assignments, including the Senate Presidency Pro Tempore post, but about the lack of communication.

When asked about speculation that Legarda’s shift may be linked to political issues involving her family, Lacson declined to engage, saying it was not the point of his statement.

“Ang point ko is nagpaalam nang maayos…sana nakapagpasabi muna,” he said, adding that even a brief prior notice would have softened the impact for their group.

Despite the surprise attempt, Lacson reiterated that he respects the political decision but emphasized the importance of courtesy.