Has Philippine Senate turned anti-Duterte? Lawmakers ‘caught flat-footed’ over new head

Senate head Vicente Sotto III is set to lend his heft to corruption probes and a potential bid for Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial

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Sara Duterte-Carpio (right) proclaimed winner of the vice presidential race by Senate President Vicente Sotto III at the House of Representatives in Quezon City in 2022. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:36pm, 8 Sep 2025Updated: 9:54pm, 8 Sep 2025

Allies of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte lost their grip in the Senate on Monday after 15 lawmakers backed a leadership change that could alter the balance of power over corruption probes and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s scuttled impeachment trial.

The process took just 24 minutes – from a motion to declare the post of Senate president vacant to the swearing-in of Vicente Sotto III, a veteran lawmaker who is allied with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, for the role. Sotto’s predecessor, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, administered the oath of office.

The session began with Senator Miguel Zubiri declaring on the floor: “Mr President, I would like to declare the position of Senate president as vacant.”

Escudero responded: “Is there any objection? Hearing none, the motion is approved.” He then banged the gavel to begin the handover.

Sotto, whose first term as Senate president ended in 2022, had run for re-election under Marcos’ banner in the May midterm elections and is widely viewed as more open to pursuing accountability over controversies that have dogged Duterte’s allies.

The 77-year-old veteran lawmaker has vowed “to do everything in my capacity to ensure that this Senate will remain cooperative [to the coequal executive branch] but independent, balanced, transparent and sincere.”

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