Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Bato dela Rosa resurfaced in the Senate on Monday after a six-month hiatus, helping pave the way for a leadership shake-up ahead of the expected transmittal of impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Shortly after session opened on May 11, then Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano took the floor to declare that a leadership change already had the support of the majority.
“May I manifest that there are now at least 13 members of the Senate who wish to have a leadership change and that Senator Bato Dela Rosa is in the building,” Cayetano said.
Ahead of this, a number of senators publicly denied rumors of a coup.
Senator Joel Villanueva then moved to declare all Senate seats vacant — a motion approved by 13 senators, effectively unseating Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
Senator Imee Marcos nominated Cayetano as the new Senate president. The final vote: 13 for Cayetano, nine for Sotto, and two abstentions.
Senators Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Mark Villar shifted support from Sotto to Cayetano. Legarda was elected Senate president pro tempore.
Here’s how the senators voted:
VOTES FOR CAYETANO
Pia Cayetano
Bato dela Rosa
Chiz Escudero
Jinggoy Estrada
Bong Go
Loren Legarda
Rodante Marcoleta
Imee Marcos
Robin Padilla
Joel Villanueva
Camille Villar
Mark Villar
Note: Sotto voted for Cayetano as courtesy
VOTES FOR SOTTO
Bam Aquino
Win Gatchalian
Risa Hontiveros
Ping Lacson
Lito Lapid
Kiko Pangilinan
Erwin Tulfo
Raffy Tulfo
Note: Cayetano voted for Sotto as courtesy
ABSTAIN
JV Ejercito
Migz Zubiri
Impeachment
While saying he held no hard feelings, Sotto admitted impeachment may have fueled the leadership change.
“That’s a very strong possibility because if I were Senate president, once the House approves the Articles of Impeachment and sends it to us I will convene the impeachment court tomorrow,” Sotto told reporters after retreating to his seat at the back of the session hall.
Cayetano, a staunch Duterte ally, denied this in a speech before colleagues after his election.
“May mga lumabas sa news and hindi ko kayo sinisisi kung sinasabi niyo sa news na ang pagpalit ng leadership ay tungkol sa impeachment, hindi po,” he said.
“Let me make it clear. The impeachment will be much, much more than dismissing a complaint because of political affiliation. And it is also much, much more than convicting someone without evidence. Parehong hindi pwede yun. Kailangan guided tayo by the truth. Guided by evidence,” he added.
NBI fiasco
Cayetano’s first major order was to detain National Bureau of Investigation agents who attempted to arrest Dela Rosa over an International Criminal Court warrant tied to extrajudicial killings.
The Senate approved Villanueva’s motion to cite the agents in contempt. A lockdown was implemented to prevent the agents from leaving Senate premises.
Security footage showed NBI agents chasing Dela Rosa as he ran toward the session hall. An irate Dela Rosa denounced their presence.
“This is the Senate. Wala silang respeto sa institusyon ng Senado,” Dela Rosa said.
Traditionally, senators cannot be arrested within Senate premises while the chamber is in session.
A commotion later erupted after Senate security personnel tried to stop NBI agents from leaving, injuring one member of the Senate security force.
By Monday night, Cayetano and NBI Director Melvin Matibag reached an agreement placing the agents under NBI custody instead. Cayetano said no NBI personnel would be allowed to enter the Senate premises.
The Senate also approved a motion placing Dela Rosa under protective custody.
