THE PHILIPPINE Senate doesn’t seem to run out of surprises. In what looks more like a perfectly hatched plan, senators on Monday voted for a leadership change ahead of the possible transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The minority group managed to come up with more than enough numbers to oust erstwhile Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Thirteen senators rooted for Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, nine legislators tried to keep Sotto as Senate President, while two opted to abstain.
Behind Cayetano’s rise to Senate presidency are his sister Pia Cayetano, Senators, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Loren Legarda, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Joel Villanueva, Mark Villar, Camille Villar, and surprisingly, Sotto himself.
Meanwhile, Senators Ping Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, Raffy Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Lito Lapid and Cayetano voted for Sotto.
Senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and JV Ejercito, abstained.
