E-Paper
Sign In
Philippine Senate installs Gatchalian as president, readies for Duterte impeachment trial
Sherwin Gatchalian is the fourth Senate president in the first regular session of the 20th Congress of the Philippines, a glaring manifestation of the chaos in Philippine politics
- PUBLISHED: Wed 17 Jun 2026, 6:10 PM
The Philippines has a new Senate President, as Sherwin Gatchalian finally wrested the chamber’s leadership from Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, June 17.
Taking the opportunity offered by the special session of Congress ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, 13 senators formally voted Gatchalian to the leadership role, ousting Cayetano.
Recommended For You
Senator Joel Villanueva made his expected appearance, tipping the balance in favor of the Gatchalian bloc, leaving the Cayetano faction to 11 members out of the 24-member chamber.
Prior to Wednesday's special session, Cayetano nominally served as the Senate president and his presidency encountered problems early. Of his original 12 supporters, Senator Ronald dela Rosa resumed hiding from an International Criminal Court arrest warrant while Senator Jose Estrada was arrested for plunder charges.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Another supporter, Senator Francis Escudero, saying he does not want the Senate to remain in a deadlock, crossed over to the Gatchalian bloc last June, enabling the chamber to elect the now Senate president as an “acting president.”
Villanueva’s transfer on Wednesday was the final nail in the coffin of Cayetano’s brief presidency in the Senate.
Shortly before the special session, Cayetano appeared to have conceded he lost his presidency to the new Senate majority, saying “I may leave the position of SP, but I am honored to still be your PS — your Public Servant.”
Gatchalian is the fourth Senate president in the first regular session of the 20th Congress of the Philippines, a glaring manifestation of the chaos in Philippine politics.
In Wednesday’s session, the current Senate majority also proceeded to electing Senator Vicente Sotto III as new Senate President Pro Tempore (vice president), replacing Gatchalian.
What’s next for the Philippine Senate?
With a new Senate leadership and majority securely in place, the Senate will next hold the pre-trial conference on June 18, when both the prosecution and defense panels will stipulate facts and outline their lists of witnesses and evidence.
The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is tentatively scheduled to begin on July 6, which is expected to push through and with regularity under a Gatchalian presidency.
Gatchalian is also expected to represent the Senate while Representative Faustino Dy III will stand at the podium in behalf of the House of Representatives when Marcos delivers fifth State of the Nation Address and when the Second Regular Session of the Philippine Congress opens on July 27.