Rowegie Abanto

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano turns irate while answering questions during a press briefing where he confirmed that Sen. Bato Dela Rosa had left the Senate premises in Pasay City on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Responding to queries about security arrangements, Cayetano clarified that Senator Ronald Dela Rosa is not under Senate custody and is free to leave, as Philippine courts have not issued an arrest warrant against him. Maria Tan. ABS-CBN News

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano turns irate while answering questions during a press briefing where he confirmed that Sen. Bato Dela Rosa had left the Senate premises in Pasay City on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Responding to queries about security arrangements, Cayetano clarified that Senator Ronald Dela Rosa is not under Senate custody and is free to leave, as Philippine courts have not issued an arrest warrant against him.
Maria Tan. ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SEN BATO DELA ROSA- ARREST- CAYETANO

RG Cruz

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/178158969323620260514-senate-alan-cayetano-MT14.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday his camp filed a petition before the Supreme Court to challenge the legitimacy of the Senate leadership of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.</p><p>Gatchalian&#x27;s bloc earlier this month mustered a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/what-is-the-quorum-of-12-that-broke-senate-standstill-1804">quorum of 12 senators </a>and declared all Senate positions vacant. The June 3 shakeup later saw Gatchalian being installed as Senate president pro tempore and acting Senate president, while also allowing Senate committees to have their new chairpersons.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/16/heightened-security-in-senate-premises-to-continue-gatchalian-1317">Heightened security in Senate premises to continue—Gatchalian</a></div><p>Cayetano and his allies asked the Supreme Court to declare as null and void the June 3 session, the election of Gatchalian, and the subsequent reorganization of the institution. </p><p>The petition was filed by Cayetano and Senators  Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Camille Villar, and Cayetano&#x27;s Senate Secretary Jose Luis Montales. Noticeably absent from this list were Senators Joel Villanueva and Mark Villar.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/ibp-12-person-senate-session-was-lawful-and-valid-1850">IBP: 12-person Senate session was lawful and valid</a></div><p>In a Facebook post, Cayetano said the petition was &quot;not about a Senate leadership issue&quot; but &quot;about protecting the ability of the Senate to pursue the truth wherever it leads.&quot;</p><p>Following the Senate reorganization, Cayetano&#x27;s group maintained that they could still conduct &quot;independent&quot; hearings on the flood control scandal. His allies were set to launch the continuation of the hearings outside of the chamber Tuesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/16/cayetano-bloc-blue-ribbon-hearing-to-divert-public-attention-from-impeachment-adiong-1002">Adiong: Cayetano allies&#x27; flood control hearing meant to &#x27;divert&#x27; public attention away from impeachment</a></div><p>&quot;The issue before the Supreme Court is therefore not merely legal. It is institutional. If constitutional rules can be disregarded whenever they become inconvenient, then every future investigation, every future oversight function, and every future effort to hold power accountable becomes vulnerable to the same treatment,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;If the rules can be changed in the middle of the game, then no institution remains truly independent and no investigation remains truly secure.&quot;</p><p>Until the petition could be resolved with finality, petitioners argued that all Senate officers should assume their duties prior to the June 3 shakeup, including Cayetano as Senate president, Legarda as Senate president pro tempore, and Montales as Senate secretary. </p><p>They asked the court to permanently prohibit respondents from exercising any authority or position derived from the June 3 proceedings.</p><p>The petition also urged the High Court to void the amended Senate impeachment rule that allows the chamber to pick a different presiding officer for a non-presidential impeachment trial. </p><p>Impleaded were Senators Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, and Miguel Zubiri, as well as Gatchalian&#x27;s Senate Secretary Renato Bantug and Sergeant At Arms Alfredo Corpus.</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/Wl7ZR5dv20Q?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/1a2VOAYqWLY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/Y_ELgu_SLPg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span> </div>

<p>Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said he has filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the legitimacy of the Senate leadership of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.</p>

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said he has filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the legitimacy of the Senate leadership of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

Cayetano seeks Supreme Court relief in Senate leadership row with Gatchalian

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Cayetano seeks Supreme Court relief in Senate leadership row with Gatchalian

RG Cruz,

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 16, 2026 02:08 PM PHT

|

Updated June 16, 2026 02:26 PM PHT

Read More:

Alan Peter Cayetano

Senate

Supreme Court

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