Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Senate President Vicente Sotto III delivers a speech during the opening of the 3rd Regular Session of the 18th Congress Monday, July 26, 2021. Voltaire Domingo, Senate PRIB

Senate President Vicente Sotto III delivers a speech during the opening of the 3rd Regular Session of the 18th Congress Monday, July 26, 2021. In his speech, Sotto enjoined the Filipino people to work with senators and the country to contribute to the good of all. Voltaire Domingo, Senate PRIB

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Electing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to the Senate presidency was former Senate President Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III&#x27;s idea, he said Sunday to address questions on why he seemed silent on the question of Senate leadership.</p><p>Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Saturday said the 11-member minority bloc is backing Gatchalian for the post. Several other members of the minority had also voiced support for the senator from Valenzuela.</p><p>“I was asked why I have been silent re Senate leadership… wrong! I was the one who brought out the idea of making Sherwin as SP!” Sotto told Senate reporters in a Viber message.</p><p>Pangilinan earlier said the bloc sees Gatchalian as “competent, steady, and fair,” and one who “can unite a broader, reform-oriented Senate that is more balanced, more accountable, and acceptable even to some members of the current majority.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/23/pangilinan-says-solid-bloc-11-minority-backs-gatchalian-for-senate-president-0809">Pangilinan says &#x27;Solid Bloc 11&#x27; minority backs Gatchalian for Senate president<br/></a></div><p>Asked if Gatchalian will be elected the Senate president on Monday when the Senate resumes session,  Sotto replied: “Depends”. </p><p>He did not elaborate.</p><p>The chambers of Congress elect their own leaders, which they can do at any time will in session.</p><p>While he did not address rumors he would be replaced less than a month since the last coup, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano in a Facebook live Saturday said he is &quot;leaving it up to the Lord&quot;.</p><p>He said the length of his tenure is not up to him.</p><p>“Ang prayer ko lang (My only prayer is:), &#x27;God, put me where you want me to do what you want me to do&#x27;,” Cayetano, who identifies as a Christian, said.</p><p>Cayetano ousted Sotto as Senate president on May 11 with 13 votes in a chamber of 24 seats.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/23/cayetano-says-senate-presidency-up-to-the-lord-amid-another-brewing-coup-1917">Cayetano says Senate presidency &#x27;up to the Lord&#x27; amid another brewing coup</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>NO &#x27;CON-ASS&#x27; TALK</strong></div><p>Sotto also denied Sen. Imee Marcos’ allegation that the Senate plans to amend the charter to supposedly allow extended terms in office.</p><p>“Mali sya. Tama si Ping [Lacson]. Never namin pinag-usapan ang [constituent assembly],” the veteran lawmaker said. </p><p>(She is wrong. Ping is right. We never discussed con ass.)</p><p>Lacson earlier rejected Marcos’ claim of a supposed attempt to take control of the Senate leadership to pave the way for constitutional amendments, saying her claims were &quot;outright lies&quot;.</p><p>Sotto said that House Speaker Faustino Dy III, &quot;in one dinner with some golf friends&quot;, had mentioned the idea of regional Senate representation instead of the current practice of electing them nationally.</p><p>“I never said it’s ok. Hindi marunong makinig yun source niya (Her source doesn&#x27;t know how to listen),” he added.</p><p>“Ang sabi ko pa ‘if ever there is an amendment to the Consti[tution], I prefer we lower the age for president and senators’. It’s simply friendly talk. The eavesdropper had a misconception,” Sotto said. </p><p>(I even said that if ever there is an amendment to the Constitution, I prefer we lower the age for president and senators. It’s simply friendly talk. The eavesdropper had a misconception.)</p><p>Filipinos have generally been wary of the use of constitutional change to stay in power, a tactic that the senator&#x27;s father, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, used to extend his presidency beyond the two-term limit in the 1935 Constitution.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WsueDLB6Kmg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Electing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to the Senate presidency was former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's idea, he said Sunday to address questions on why he seemed silent on the question of Senate leadership.</p>

Electing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to the Senate presidency was former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's idea, he said Sunday to address questions on why he seemed silent on the question of Senate leadership.

Silent on Senate presidency?: Sotto says he suggested backing Gatchalian

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Silent on Senate presidency?: Sotto says he suggested backing Gatchalian

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 24, 2026 12:13 PM PHT

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Updated May 24, 2026 02:02 PM PHT

Read More:

Vicente Sotto III

Sherwin Gatchalian

Senate

Alan Peter Cayetano

Imee Marcos

Charter change

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