Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero retained his Senate president seat for the 20th Congress, gathering a supermajority vote of 19-5 during the upper chamber’s first regular session on Monday, July 28.
All 24 senators, new and returning, were present to take their oaths and elect the Senate president ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’ s fourth State of the Nation Address.
Senator Joel Villanueva nominated Escudero for presidency while Senators Win Gatchilian and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa seconded the nomination.
“In the last few months of the 19th Congress, he showed us how his steady hand and calm voice shielded the Senate from anything in the way of our sworn duty to the people and any threat to our mandate,” Dela Rosa said in his speech.
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Escudero has held onto the vote of the Senate’s supermajority as most senators signed a resolution showing their support weeks prior to the convening of the first session.
Meanwhile, Senator Migz Zubiri nominated returning Senator Tito Sotto for presidency, whom he described as a “tried and tested leader.” Senator Loren Legarda seconded Sotto’s nomination.
