Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano acknowledged that the minority bloc does not currently have enough numbers to remove Vicente Sotto III as Senate president. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Cayetano said the key issue remains whether the minority can secure at least 13 votes — the majority needed to change the chamber’s leadership. The bloc would still need the backing of four more senators to successfully elect a new Senate president. Cayetano said it is only natural for the minority to aim for majority status, adding that discussions about leadership direction, performance, and the possibility of reaching 13 votes have always been ongoing and are no secret. The current minority bloc consists of nine senators who supported Francis Escudero during the leadership change in September, when he was replaced by Sotto. Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson remarked that threats to the Senate presidency are nothing new, likening them to a “continuing crime” that has existed throughout Senate history. The group includes Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Joel Villanueva.
