Camille Naredo

Senator Win Gatchalian takes his oath as the new Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, replacing Senator Loren Legarda during the Senate session on June 3, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Senator Win Gatchalian takes his oath as the new Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, replacing Senator Loren Legarda during the Senate session on June 3, 2026. The members of the majority failed to attend the Senate session for three consecutive days following the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada on June 1, 2026.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE- MINORITY STATEMENT - MAJORITY ABSENCE

Jamaine Punzalan

Jonathan Frederic De Santos

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/1780472298871viber_image_2026-06-03_15-33-17-239.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Senator Win Gatchalian takes his oath as the new Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, replacing Senator Loren Legarda during the Senate session. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Win Gatchalian takes his oath as the new Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, replacing Senator Loren Legarda during the Senate session. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (3rd UPDATE) </strong>— The arrival of Sen. Francis Escudero allowed the Senate to convene on Wednesday, despite the absence of the group led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. </p><p>The 11-strong minority bloc was waiting for majority senators in the scheduled plenary session, when Escudero, the lone majority senator to attend, showed up at the session hall to applause from the floor and the gallery.</p><p>This allowed a quorum to be declared with 12 senators present.</p><p>Sen. Vicente Sotto III then moved to declare Senate positions vacant, which was approved unanimously. </p><p>Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian was then elected as Senate president pro tempore, while Sen Miguel Zubiri was named majority leader.</p><p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo was elected to the Blue Ribbon Committee. </p><p>&quot;At a time when the nation faces pressing challenges, the Filipino people expect their Senate to work, deliberate, and fulfill its constitutional mandate. The institution cannot remain stalled by disagreements or uncertainty. Our duty is clear: to legislate, provide oversight, and serve the public interest,&quot; the new majority said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;The Filipino people deserve a Senate that shows up, does its job, and places public service above politics,&quot; they added. &quot;It is time for the Senate to move forward and get back to work for the Filipino people.&quot;</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0Bo1LKSzMsK395DVCoTkV8GfNigbtD9zAADVKdnkWeJPUQwzUZhPZJYTa8Zqm9Y5Tl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="629" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned earlier in the day that important laws could be derailed as senators from the majority bloc stopped attending sessions this week after Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa returned to hiding and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for his plunder case. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/marcos-on-senate-impasse-get-back-to-work-0949">Marcos to Senate: &#x27;Get back to work&#x27;</a></div><p>Last month, the 13-strong majority bloc took control of the Senate and installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. </p><p>Four days later, Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, left the Senate&#x27;s custody after a shooting incident between its security personnel and the National Bureau of Investigation. </p><p>Estrada, another majority senator, was arrested on Monday over his flood control-related plunder case. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><strong>ESCUDERO: I AM TAKING A STAND FOR THE SENATE</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GQHt4-lzgrg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>In a statement, Escudero said he attended the session because &quot;the current impasse in the Senate is untenable and unacceptable.&quot;</p><p>He added: &quot;When political divisions become too extreme and obstruct our mandate, we must all have the courage to pause, gain perspective, reflect, consider and realize that we should put the  Senate, as the institution that we serve, above ourselves.&quot;</p><p>Escudero, a former Senate president, said he is not taking sides and that the session is not a political contest.</p><p>&quot;I am taking a stand for the Senate. My allegiance is not to any faction, personality, group or alliance. This is not about loyalty, betrayal, or choosing one group over the other—this is about duty.&quot;</p><p>“His action sent a clear message: that his commitment to the country, to the Senate, and to the Constitution would prevail above all else,” the new Senate majority said in a statement.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;QUORUM OF 12&#x27;  </strong></div><p>Gatchalian noted that under the rules, neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate shall adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other house. </p><p>&quot;The Senate has been adjourned and unable to resume session for the past two days, placing us on the brink of constitutional violation had we not convened today,&quot; Gatchalian said. </p><p>&quot;Thus, in the absence of a duly consulted postponement and the continued absence of the former Senate president, the former president pro tempore, and members of the majority, we are compelled to call the session to order,&quot; he said. </p><p>The new majority bloc said the quorum of 12 &quot;is determined based on the number of members who are legally able to discharge the functions of the Senate.&quot; </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/what-is-the-quorum-of-12-that-broke-senate-standstill-1804">What is the ‘quorum of 12’ that broke Senate standstill?</a></div><p>&quot;This is in full accord of the ruling of the court in Avelino vs Cuenco that an absolute majority of 12 out of the 23 members can constitute a constitutional majority of the Senate for quorum purposes,&quot; he said. </p><p>He cited as precedent the May 5, 2015 session where &quot;the quorum was based on 17 available senators&quot; with &quot;seven others beyond the Senate&#x27;s coercive jurisdiction.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The institution cannot remain stalled by disagreements or uncertainty. Our duty is clear: to legislate, provide oversight, and serve the public interest. The Filipino people deserve a Senate that shows up, does its job, and places public service above politics,&quot; the new majority said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;SOLID BLOC 12&#x27; SAYS CAYETANO NO LONGER SENATE PRESIDENT</strong></div><p>In a separate statement, the new majority said that Cayetano is no longer the Senate President, citing the Avelino vs Cuenco court ruling.</p><p>&quot;Hindi pa lamang naihahalal si Sen. Win Gatchalian bilang bagong Senate President dahil kailangan pa ng 13 boto sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon,&quot; they said.</p><p>&quot;Pero ito ang malinaw at mahalaga ngayon: bakante na ang lahat ng posisyon, tapos na ang dating liderato at dapat magpatuloy ang trabaho ng Senado para sa taumbayan.&quot;</p><p>Tulfo had earlier noted that with only 12 senators present, &quot;We cannot touch the Senate presidency because we don&#x27;t have 13. It&#x27;s what the law says.&quot; </p><p>&quot;But then, we can elect the Pro Tempore because it doesn&#x27;t say 13,&quot; he said, </p><p>Gatchalian &quot;is the presiding officer&quot; until a new Senate president can be elected, Tulfo said. </p><p>&quot;Que hindi pumasok si Senator Cayetano, it will be Senator Win will be presiding from now on,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s Senate president, yes, but what can he do? He might be a virtual president dahil 12 na kami,&quot; Tulfo said of Cayetano. </p><p>Tulfo urged the remaining members of the Cayetano-led group: &quot;Please join us, we will accept you with open arms, let&#x27;s work together for the nation -- not for ourselves, not for political parties, not for certain individuals.&quot; </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PALACE RECOGNIZES NEW MAJORITY </strong></div><p>Malacañang <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/malacanang-recognizes-legitimacy-of-new-senate-majority-castro-1728">recognized the legitimacy</a> of the new Senate leadership.</p><p>“Ang nangyari sa Senado ngayong hapon ay naaayon sa batas at rule of law,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.</p><p>“Kinikilala at nirerespeto ng Palasyo ang desisyon ng bagong mayorya at ang liderato ni Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HOUSE PROSECUTORS STAYING READY</strong></div><p>The House of Representatives extended its congratulations to Gatchalian, while also stressing that the House prosecution panel is ready for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which is expected to start in July.</p><p>&quot;At a time when our nation looks to its institutions for stability and leadership, a fully functioning Senate is essential to advancing legislation, exercising oversight, and upholding democratic governance,&quot; Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;We are confident that under your stewardship, the Senate will continue to discharge its constitutional duties with integrity, independence, and dedication to the public interest,&quot; Dy said to Gatchalian.</p><p>House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong, meanwhile, said the leadership changes in the Senate are &quot;an internal matter.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We fully respect the decision and prerogative of the senators,&quot; said Adiong. &quot;For our part, the 11-member House prosecution panel remains fully prepared and steadfast in carrying out its constitutional mandate.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We are confident in the strength of the evidence and trust that the senator-judges will faithfully uphold their solemn duty to conduct the proceedings with fairness, impartiality, and fidelity to the Constitution,&quot; he added.</p><div><strong>— With reports from Katrina Domingo and Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News; </strong><strong>Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Um7cHEUUM94?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The arrival of Sen. Francis Escudero allowed the Senate to convene on Wednesday, despite the absence of the group led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.</p>

The arrival of Sen. Francis Escudero allowed the Senate to convene on Wednesday, despite the absence of the group led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Escudero breaks Senate impasse despite Cayetano group’s boycott; Gatchalian elected as Senate president pro tempore

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Escudero breaks Senate impasse despite Cayetano group’s boycott; Gatchalian elected as Senate president pro tempore

Jamaine Punzalan,

Jonathan de Santos,

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News,

Published June 03, 2026 03:01 PM PHT

|

Updated June 12, 2026 07:29 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

majority

minority

plenary

Francis Escudero

Sherwin Gatchalian

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