All eyes sa Senado ngayong darating na Lunes dahil nangangamoy panibagong Senate coup wala pang dalawang linggo matapos mapatalsik si Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at maupo si Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano bilang Senate President.
Sa statement nitong Sabado, sinabi ni Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan na ang Senate minority bloc, na tinatawag nilang SB-11 o Solid Bloc 11, ay nagtutulak kay Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian bilang susunod na Senate President.
“We, of the SB-11 or Solid Bloc 11, all want Senator Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian to become Senate President,” ani Pangilinan.
Naganap ito matapos ang May 11 leadership change sa Senado, kung saan nakakuha si Cayetano ng 13 boto, habang 11 ang napunta kay Sotto at dalawa ang nag-abstain.
Ayon kay Pangilinan, napatunayan ni Gatchalian ang kakayahang mamuno noong deliberations sa 2026 national budget. Si Gatchalian ang dating chairperson ng Senate Committee on Finance bago siya pinalitan ni Sen. Mark Villar nitong linggo.
“He has proven, especially during the deliberations on the 2026 national budget, that he can protect the people’s money and ensure that public funds go where they are most needed,” ani Pangilinan.
“Principle-wise, Sen. Win is competent, steady, and fair. In realpolitik, he can unite a broader, reform-oriented Senate that is more balanced, more accountable, and acceptable even to some members of the current majority,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi rin ni Pangilinan sa statement na pati si Cayetano umano ay bukas kay Gatchalian.
“Even current Senate President Cayetano has said he might vote for Senator Win as Senate President,” ani Pangilinan.
Sa panayam sa dzMM nitong Sabado, sinabi naman ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson na qualified si Gatchalian para pamunuan ang Senado.
“He is capable, qualified and prepares for his work. In all the committee hearings he attended or presided over, he knew what he was talking about and he was prepared,” ani Lacson.
“So we see him as eminently qualified to become the Senate President of the 20th Congress at least,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay Lacson, “non-negotiable” sa minority bloc ang pagbawi sa integridad ng Senado matapos ang mga kontrobersiyang yumanig sa chamber.
“To the minority, it is non-negotiable that we redeem the Senate’s integrity,” sabi niya.
Sa kasalukuyan, 13 senador ang nasa majority bloc at 11 ang nasa minority bloc. Para mapatalsik si Cayetano, kailangan ng minority ng hindi bababa sa dalawang boto mula sa majority.
Sa panayam sa dzMM noong Biyernes, sinabi ni Gatchalian na handa siya kung mapunta sa kanya ang Senate presidency.
“Tingin ko marami naman na tayong natutunan sa Senado, lalo na yung mga komplikadong komite. Kaya kung handa, handa talaga,” ani Gatchalian.
“Ako, naniniwala naman ako na may God’s will at God’s time. Ako naniniwala ako talaga dyan. Pag talaga pinlano yan sa iyo ng Diyos, dadating at dadating yan,” dagdag niya.
Si Gatchalian ay sampung taon nang senador at humawak na ng committees on economic affairs, energy, basic education, ways and means, at finance. Nakilala rin siya sa budget transparency push, kabilang ang pagbubukas sa publiko ng bicameral budget meetings at paglalagay ng online portal para sa budget documents at hearing transcripts.
Sumiklab ang bagong leadership talk matapos ang sunod-sunod na kontrobersiya sa Senado. Noong May 11, inilagay sa Senate custody si Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa sa gitna ng International Criminal Court arrest warrant laban sa kanya. Noong May 13, nagkaroon ng gunfire incident sa Senate premises. Inamin ni suspended Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca na nagpaputok siya ng unang warning shot laban sa isang National Bureau of Investigation agent sa Government Service Insurance System building.
Kinumpirma rin ni Cayetano na umalis si Dela Rosa sa Senate premises bandang 2:30 a.m. kinabukasan. Noong Thursday, inatasan ng Department of Justice ang Philippine National Police at NBI na ipatupad ang arrest warrant laban kay Dela Rosa.
Sa panayam sa dzMM, sinabi ni Gatchalian na kailangang ayusin ang tama sa imahe ng Senado.
“That’s why the thing we have to do is to fix the dignity and image of the Senate. It really took a hit. We can’t deny that,” ani Gatchalian.
“And we should hold accountable people behind the incidents, maybe one of the ugliest marks on the Senate history is that shooting incident,” dagdag niya.
“And now, information is coming out and it is becoming clearer what happened. People should be held accountable,” sabi pa ni Gatchalian. /Bistado