MANILA, Philippines — The Senate underwent a dramatic leadership overhaul on Wednesday, electing Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as the new Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President to resolve a two-day legislative standstill before officially adjourning sine die.
The abrupt reorganization of the upper chamber unfolded after 12 senators converged at the plenary, successfully declaring a quorum.
Senator Vicente “Tito “Sotto III immediately moved to declare all elected leadership positions in the Senate vacant, a motion that was swiftly carried by the present lawmakers. This cleared the path for a sweep of committee assignments, replacing the roster under the leadership of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
Prior to the adjournment, Gatchalian explained that the chamber was forced to take action after Cayetano failed to convene the scheduled sessions earlier in the week. Gatchalian warned that the legislative body was on the verge of committing a constitutional infraction if it remained inactive.
“After the Senate adjourned on May 26, 2026, session was scheduled to resume on Monday, June 1, 2026 and on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. But the former Senate President failed to appear in both instances,” Gatchalian said.
He added that the ongoing deadlock threatened to violate Article VI, Section 16(5) of the Constitution, which prohibits either house of Congress from adjourning for more than three days during congressional sessions without securing the consent of the other chamber.
“Thus, in the absence of a duly consulted postponement and the continued absence of the former Senate president, the former president pro tempore, and members of the majority, we are compelled to call the session to order,” he said.
Defending the legality of the session, the newly formed majority bloc asserted that a presence of 12 senators was legally sufficient to constitute a quorum, based on the number of members within the Senate’s actual jurisdiction.
They cited judicial and legislative precedents, including a 2015 session where the quorum adjusted due to absent members outside the chamber’s coercive reach. Gatchalian pointed out that this operational majority was grounded in established jurisprudence.
“This is in full accord with the ruling of the court in Avelino v. Cuenco that an absolute majority of 12 out of the 23 members can constitute a constitutional majority of the Senate for quorum purposes,” he said.
The high-stakes session concluded with the reorganization of major Senate panels. The new committee chairpersons include Senator JV Ejercito for Finance; Sotto for National Defense; Senator Panfilo Lacson for Public Order and Accounts; Senator Erwin Tulfo for the Blue Ribbon Committee, as well as Social Welfare and Rural Development; Senator Raffy Tulfo for Public Services; Senator Bam Aquino for Basic Education; Senator Francis Pangilinan for Agriculture; Senator Risa Hontiveros for Health; Senator Lito Lapid for Games and Amusement; Senator Francis Escudero for Housing; and Senator Miguel Zubiri for Foreign Relations and Rules.
Before wrapping up the first regular session of the 20th Congress, the chamber also adopted Proposed Resolution 432, which amends Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials to clarify the selection of a presiding officer in cases not involving the President of the Philippines.
The Senate then passed a concurrent resolution to formally close the session and officially transmitted notices of Gatchalian’s election as acting Senate President to Malacañang and the House of Representatives.| Sheenalei Briana Rayos
