Senate President Alan Cayetano held on to the leadership position amid fresh coup rumors at the Upper Chamber.
The minority gained two members – JV Ejercito and Juan Miguel Zubiri – who previously abstained during last week’s change in leadership that saw Tito Sotto unseated as Senate president.
But even with 11 senators, the minority bloc still lacks two votes to have Cayetano replaced.
In a manifestation on the floor, Zubiri said he wanted to be associated with the minority bloc.
Ejercito, for his part, was asked by Cayetano whether he would be independent or with the minority, to which the senator replied: “For now, Mr. President, I’ll be with the minority.”
Even as he retained the Senate presidency, Cayetano acknowledged the calls for his ouster.
“If the Lord placed me here for an eight-day mission, I will accept that. But if my mission is to start the impeachment, I will also accept that,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for his part, declined to speculate on another possible leadership change in the Senate.
“We just have to wait and see,” President Marcos said.
Major reshuffle
As this developed, the Senate finalized a major reshuffle on Monday with the appointment of seven new committee heads.
The sweeping changes led to the removal of opposition lawmakers from key committees, including Senator Bam Aquino from basic education, Senator Risa Hontiveros from health, and Senator Francis Pangilinan from agriculture.
Under the new assignments, Senator Loren Legarda will take over the Committee on Basic Education while retaining her leadership of the Committee on Culture and the Arts.
Senator Pia Cayetano secured the leadership of the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, while maintaining her chairperson posts for the Ways and Means and the Energy panels.
The Committee on Health and Demography will now be led by Senator Bong Go, who also retained his position as head of the Committee on Sports.
Senator Joel Villanueva was designated to lead the Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education.
The Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation will now be chaired by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who was also given control of the Committee on Games and Amusement.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta was appointed to oversee the Committee on Public Services.
Senator Robin Padilla assumed leadership of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, while keeping his post as chairperson of the Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs.
The reorganization also saw the replacement of Mark Llandro Mendoza as Senate Secretary by Jose Luis Montales, who was a former secretary-general of the House when Cayetano was its Speaker.
