Thirty – seven days after seizing the Senate Presidency in the Monday, May 11, 2026, Cayetano Senate Coup, and fourteen days after he was unseated in the Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Gatchalian Senate Coup, former “kapit tuko” HoR Speaker and shortest serving and messiest Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, finally conceded on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, morning, that he had lost the numbers and that Gatchalian had the thirteen votes.
At a little past 3:00 pm, on June 3, former Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero abandoned the Cayetano 13 and helped create the Gatchalian 12. At about 9:00 am, on June 17, expected to be the next to be charged and jailed, Senator Joel Villanueva, created the new 13, the new undisputed Gatchalian Majority.
In just thirty - seven days, Cayetano did more to bring down and destroy the image of and trust in the Senate than any previous Senate President. On the third day of his Senate Presidency, Wednesday, May 13, shortly after the end of the plenary session and almost simultaneous to the arrival of the HoR delegation with the Articles of Impeachment, Cayetano’s Sergeant at Arms, precipitated a shooting incident at the boundary of the Senate and GSIS premises.
The Cayetano Bloc spread the fake news that the Senate was under attack. A few hours after midnight, in the early hours of Thursday, May 14, fugitive Senator “Bato” de la Rosa, who was under the protective custody of the Senate since Monday afternoon, escaped, escorted by Senator Robinhood Padilla. His escape was aided and abetted by the OSSA.
On Monday, June 1, twice previously charged and arrested (April 2001 and June 23, 2014) Senator “Jinggoy” Estrada, was arrested and jailed at the New Q. C. Jail in Payatas, Q. C.
On Tuesday, May 26, Senator Rodante Marcoleta presented a resolution to allow absent Senators to attend sessions and vote electronically. When the pro-Sara Cayetano Bloc insisted on amending the Senate Rules immediately instead of following the usual procedure of referring the matter to the Committee on Rules first, the Minority Bloc walked out from the session hall thus depriving the Senate of a quorum. The escape of “Bato” and the arrest of “Jinggoy” brought the Cayetano 13 down to 11, not enough to make a quorum.
Wednesday, May 27, was a holiday. The next session would be on Monday, June 1. The Cayetano Bloc boycotted the plenary sessions for three consecutive days, Monday to Wednesday, June 1 – 3. When Chiz broke the boycott and changed sides on Wednesday, June 1, a motion was presented and passed with a quorum of 12 declaring all positions vacant.
Gatchalian was elected Senate President Pro Tempore and assumed as Acting Senate President since the position was vacant. A new Senate Secretary and Sergeant at Arms, Majority Floor Leader and ten Committee Chairmen were elected. Senator Erwin Tulfo was elected Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman and immediately reset the meeting that had been set for 1000 am on Thursday, June 4, to 900 am, Monday, June 8.
Senators Pia Cayetano and Marcoleta insisted on pushing through the illegal hearing which had no committee staff, official stenographic notes, recording, nor was it posted on the official Senate website. Then, former Congressman Mike Defensor announced a Blue Ribbon subcommittee meeting at 1000 am, Tuesday, June 16, at a private venue, Double Gem EDSA Garden Events Place on EDSA, Mandaluyong City.
Although Senator Imee Marcos and Robinhood Padilla appeared outside the venue, no Senator sat down at the venue. The fake activity was managed by Mike and Atty. Levi Baligod from 2:00 p.m. up to before 5:00 p.m.
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