Nelson Morales

Article (news)

'Duterte bloc' now minority in Senate

Kevin Alabaso

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — The so-called &quot;Duterte bloc&quot; in the Senate is now the minority body.This, after Sen. Miguel Zubiri asked the minority to manifest its members to determine the ratio of committee members.Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano obliged and listed the following as part of the minority as of September 9, 2025:<ul style="margin-left:20px;list-style-type:disc"><li>Jinggoy Estrada</li><li>Imee Marcos</li><li>Christopher &quot;Bong&quot; Go</li><li>Rodante Marcoleta</li><li>Robinhood Padilla</li><li>Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; Dela Rosa</li><li>Joel Villanueva</li><li>Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero</li><li>Alan Peter Cayetano</li></ul><div> </div>Cayetano was named the Senate minority leader and his deputy minority leaders are Villanueva and Marcoleta.Go, Dela Rosa, Padilla, Marcoleta, and Marcos previously named themselves as the &quot;Duterte bloc&quot; or &quot;Duter7&quot; in Senate, including Mark and Camille Villar.However, the Villar siblings were not mentioned in the minority members list.Several committees also have new chairmen:Sen. Ping Lacson - Blue Ribbon CommitteeSen. Raffy Tulfo - Labor, Employment &amp; Human Resources Development Sen. Loren Legarda - Higher, Technical and Vocational Education; National Defense &amp; Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation; AccountsSen. JV Ejercito - Public Order and Dangerous DrugsSen. Risa Hontiveros - Health and DemographyMore changes in the committees were in Wednesday’s session.Sen. Francis Pangilinan is the new chair of the Justice and Human Rights commission, with Alan Peter Cayetano as the vice chair. Pangilinan will also sit as the Senate&#x27;s representative to the Judicial and Bar Council.Sen. Camille Villar replaces Zubiri in chairing the Economic Affairs panel, while Sen. Lito Lapid takes on the Cooperatives Committee from Sen. Imee Marcos.Meanwhile, the new composition of the Senate contingent to the Commission on Appointments is as follows: -- Senators Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Raffy Tulfo, JV Ejercito, Mark Villar, Panfilo Lacson and Lito Lapid for the majority;-- Senators Joel Villanueva, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos and Jinggoy Estrada for the minority.