The Senate adjourned sine die on Wednesday, June 3, after electing a new set of officers and committee chairpersons, with Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian named Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President following a two-day impasse.
With 12 senators present, the chamber declared a quorum before Senator Vicente Sotto III moved to declare all elected positions in the Senate vacant.
Sen. Francis Escudero, who belonged to the majority bloc, attended the session and helped the chamber reach the quorum needed to proceed.
The Senate then elected Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as chairperson of the committee on rules, Renato Bantug Jr. as Senate Secretary, and retired Police Maj. Gen. Alfredo Sotto Corpuz as Sergeant-at-Arms.
The chamber elected new committee chairpersons, including Sen. JV Ejercito for Finance; Sotto for National Defense; Senator Panfilo Lacson for Public Order and Accounts panels; Sen. Erwin Tulfo for Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations or the Blue Ribbon Committee, and Social Welfare and Rural Development; Sen. Raffy Tulfo for Public Services; Sen. Bam Aquino for Basic Education; Sen. Francis Pangilinan for Agriculture; Sen. Risa Hontiveros for Health; Sen. Lito Lapid for Games and Amusement; Escudero for Housing; and Zubiri for Foreign Relations.
Before adjournment, Gatchalian said the Senate was compelled to convene after then Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano failed to appear during the scheduled resumption of sessions on June 1 and 2.
“After the Senate adjourned on May 26, 2026, session was scheduled to resume on Monday, June 1, 2026 and on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. But the former Senate President failed to appear in both instances,” Gatchalian said.
He said the Senate was on the brink of violating Article VI, Section 16(5) of the Constitution, which bars either chamber from adjourning for more than three days during session without the consent of the other house.
Gatchalian said the quorum of 12 was based on the majority of 22 senators over whom the Senate could obtain jurisdiction, citing the Supreme Court ruling in Avelino v. Cuenco and a 2015 Senate precedent.
The Senate also adopted a Proposed Resolution 432 amending Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials to provide for the election of a presiding officer in cases not involving the President of the Philippines.
In a separate statement, Escudero said the Senate impasse had become “untenable and unacceptable,” saying his decision was not about joining any faction but about protecting the institution.
“This is not a political contest. I am not taking sides. 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,” Escudero said.
“Hindi ito usaping pampulitika. Wala akong sinasamahan o iniiwanang grupo, pangkat o paksyon. Hindi ko sinasabi na may mali o tama o may nagkulang o nagmalabis kaninuman. Ngunit hindi pwedeng manatili tayo sa ganitong sitwasyon. Ang naaapektuhan na ay ang mismong kakayahan ng Senado na gampanan ang kaniyang tungkulin sa bayan (This is not a political issue. I am not joining or leaving any group, bloc or faction. I am not saying anyone is right or wrong, or that anyone fell short or went too far. But we cannot remain in this situation. What is being affected is the Senate’s very ability to perform its duty to the people),” he added.
The Senate later adopted a concurrent resolution providing for the adjournment of the first regular session of the 20th Congress and informed the President and the House of Representatives of Gatchalian’s election as Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President. *PNA
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