Gatchalian elected Senate President; Sotto is Senate President pro tempore
Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Win Gatchalian has been elected as the new Senate President during Wednesday’s special session, replacing Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Gatchalian previously assumed the role of acting Senate President on June 3, sparking a weeks-long leadership standoff with Cayetano, who challenged the legitimacy of that session before the Supreme Court. Shortly before the special session convened, Cayetano conceded the race, stating that he had come to terms with the election of a new chamber leader and would not stand in the way of the vote. Meanwhile, veteran lawmaker Tito Sotto was elected as the new Senate President Pro Tempore, filling the post vacated by Gatchalian. Thirteen senators were present during Wednesday’s special session to form a quorum, consisting primarily of Gatchalian’s allies. Senator Joel Villanueva—previously allied with the Cayetano bloc—was also present, providing the decisive crossover vote to finalize the leadership transition.
Cayetano ready to concede leadership, will accept election of new Senate President
Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday, June 17, that he will accept the election of a new Senate President, speaking just before the upper chamber is set to convene its special session. “After speaking with Sen. Joel Villanueva, it appears our colleagues on the other side will soon have the numbers to elect a new Senate President. I will not stand in the way of that vote,” Cayetano said. The statement comes amid intense speculation that Villanueva may join the bloc of acting Senate President Win Gatchalian. Cayetano and his allies previously petitioned the Supreme Court to void the contentious June 3 session that saw Gatchalian’s election. Notably, Villanueva and Senator Mark Villar were not included as petitioners in that filing. “No leadership in a democracy is ever permanent; every office we hold is a loan, never a possession. To whoever this chamber lawfully elects,…
‘Nabuhay nga pero parang pinapatay kami’: Ateneo survivors speak out after Aurora tragedy
Metro Manila, Philippines — More than a week after surviving the Aurora training camp tragedy that claimed the lives of teammates Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, Ateneo men’s basketball players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes said they continue to grapple with grief, survivor’s guilt, and intense public scrutiny. “We lost two of our brothers,” Alas said during an appearance on the Let’s Talk with Pia Hontiveros podcast. “Para sobrang sakit po kasi nabuhay nga kami pero parang pinapatay kami,” he added. [Translation: “It’s so painful because while we survived, it feels like we are being killed.”] The two survivors broke their silence on the June 8 incident, recounting how they nearly lost their own lives and how the team desperately searched for their missing teammates after reaching the shore. According to Reyes, it was the Ateneo players themselves who pulled Baterbonia from the water during the frantic search that followed.…
PH open to visiting forces agreement with Germany – Marcos
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines is open to negotiating a future visiting forces agreement (VFA) with Germany in a bid to expand defense partnerships in response to an increasingly volatile security environment, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday, June 16. Speaking at a joint press conference with visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Malacañang, Marcos said a VFA remains a possibility as military, defense, and security cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen. “Why not?” Marcos said when asked about a possible military deal. “We probably, in reality, we’re still a long way off of that. But we are actually increasing our engagements, especially in the military and in the defense and the security areas,” he said. The president said the Philippines would be receptive to such an arrangement if both sides determine the timing is right. “If we came to an agreement and we feel that it…
Flood control complaints under fact-finding reach over 200 – ombudsman
Metro Manila, Philippines – Flood control-related complaints in the fact-finding stage have nearly doubled this year, Ombudsman Boying Remulla said, while four cases were filed in court almost a year since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a probe on the multibillion-peso corruption scam. In his recorded message aired at the Southeast Asian Ombudsman Forum on Tuesday, June 16, Remulla said a total of 209 complaints are under fact-finding, a stage where investigators examine if there is enough basis to file a formal case. It is higher than the 124 complaints that reached the fact-finding stage in 2025. Remulla said 36 complaints advanced to preliminary investigation last year, while four cases were filed with the court. The high-profile cases include the non-bailable plunder charges against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Sen. Bong Revilla, both in detention pending trial. Remulla, who assumed the position in October 2025, told fellow ombudsmen from Southeast…
