Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Senator Lito Lapid appears at the senate hearing on ABS-CBN's franchise  renewal on February 24, 2020.   Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177978076198020200224-senate-abs-cbn-hearing-lapid-JC-2002.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Lito Lapid appears at the senate hearing on ABS-CBN&#x27;s franchise  renewal on February 24, 2020.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Lito Lapid, in a rare instance, spoke before the Senate plenary Tuesday, noting that he is maintaining his allegiance to the minority bloc, contrary to circulating rumors.  </p><p>&quot;Tungkol po yung nangyare kahapon at marami pong kumakalat sa social media na ako&#x27;y lumipat na sa majority, hindi po totoo iyan. Mananatili po ako sa minority group at hindi po ako aalis dito,&quot; Lapid said during the Senate plenary session. </p><p>&quot;Yun pong motion ni Sen. [Juan Miguel] Zubiri kahapon ay sinusuportahan ko po,&quot; he added. </p><p>Zubiri on Monday moved to strike off the chamber&#x27;s records <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/-propaganda-tool-zubiri-wants-imee-marcos-con-ass-claims-stricken-off-record-1604">Sen. Imee Marcos&#x27; video presentation</a> accusing the 11-member minority bloc of attempting to take control of the chamber&#x27;s leadership to pave the way for a constitutional assembly and block the presidential run of Vice President Sara Duterte in 2028. </p><p>Marcos later withdrew the video she presented.</p><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/9lsIphR-FVE?&amp;pp=0gcJCQMLAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Lapid urged his fellow senators to avoid arguments and restore the upper chamber’s dignity. </p><p>“Hiling ko lang po dito sa Senado, sana magkaisa tayo. Iwasan ang bangayan. Ang dami-dami nating bisitang pari dito,” Lapid said. </p><p>The senator asked the priests visiting the Tuesday session: “Ipagdasal niyo po kami na magkaisa na po kami para maibalik ang dangal ng Senado.”</p><p>The Senate on May 11 saw a change of leadership with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano taking the chamber’s top post. </p><p>On May 13, gunfire rocked the Senate premises. </p><p>Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, left the Senate’s protective custody hours after the shooting incident. His whereabouts remain unknown since. </p><p>The 11-member minority continues pushing for Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to be the Senate president.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘MAHAL KITA’ </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Sen. Pia Cayetano meanwhile thanked Lapid for sending her maja blanca and suman despite them being under separate blocs. </p><p>“Gusto ko lang magpasalamat kay Sen. Lito Lapid na kahit na magkaiba na tayo ng partido… We are batchmates, so magkasama kami since 2004,” Pia said.</p><p>“Majority, minority, buwan-buwan nagpapadala pa rin siya sa akin ng maja blanca at suman,” she added. </p><p>Lapid replied: “Gusto ko po kasing malaman mo na mahal kita.”</p><p>The response prompted laughter from the audience and a comment from Senate President Cayetano: “I am trying to figure out bakit maja blanca ang binibigay sa kanya samantalang sinabi ko na kay Kuya Lito Lapid na ako’y umiinom na ng maintenance medicine para sa cholesterol pero sisig pa rin ang dinadala niya para sa akin.” </p><p>“So iniisip ko kung mahal din niya ako o si Sen. Pia lang,” he said. </p><p>Majority Leader Joel Villanueva commented, “Mr. President, nilalapit ka daw niya sa Diyos.” </p><div><em></em><strong>WATCH:</strong><strong></strong><em><strong></strong></em><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DBimBcOlL-w?si=dCXTZgoJGI-CyG4D" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Sen. Lito Lapid spoke before the Senate plenary Tuesday, noting that he is maintaining his allegiance to the minority bloc, contrary to circulating rumors.</p>

Sen. Lito Lapid spoke before the Senate plenary Tuesday, noting that he is maintaining his allegiance to the minority bloc, contrary to circulating rumors.

Lito Lapid says staying with minority

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Lito Lapid says staying with minority

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 26, 2026 03:35 PM PHT

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Updated May 26, 2026 04:22 PM PHT

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Lito Lapid

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