SENATOR Vicente "Tito" Sotto III was sworn in Monday afternoon, May 21, as the country's 29th Senate President.
Sotto replaced Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, who announced Monday noon that he was stepping down amid reports that his colleagues ousted him more than a week afer he called on the Supreme Court to review its decision to remove Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Read: Pimentel steps down as Senate President; Sotto takes over
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto retained his post while Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri was elected as the new Senate majority leader.
Sotto, in his acceptance speech, expressed gratitude to his colleagues for giving him the opportunity to serve as Senate chief.
"To my colleagues and to the Filipino people, I am committed to do my very best and, with your help, I am confident that I have in my background the template of nine other Senate Presidents that I have served," he said.
"Ang kaalaman ng matututunan saan man unibersidad sa mundo ay hindi maaaring maitapat sa karanasan at karunungan na aking nakuha mula kanila Senate Presidents Neptali Gonzales, Edgardo Angara, Ernesto Maceda, Marcelo Fernan, Blas Ople, Franklin Drilon, Aquilino Nene Pimentel, Juan Ponce Enrile, and Senator Aquilino 'Koko' Pimentel III," Sotto said.
(The knowledge gained in school is no match to the knowledge and experience that I gained from the previous Senate Presidents.)
Sotto was accompanied by his wife, actress/singer Helen Gamboa Sotto, and their children Ciara, Gian, Romina and Diorella.
He was sworn in to his position by colleague and best friend Senator Gregorio Honasan. Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV and Senator Panfilo Lacson served as witnesses.
Zubiri nominated Pimentel III as new chair of the Senate committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship which he vacated immediately after being elected as the new majority floor leader.
Pimentel III was ousted by the votes of 15 senators: Nancy Binay, Zubiri, Honasan, Ralph Recto, Juan Edgardo Angara, Francis Escudero, Joel VIllanueva, Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Joseph Victor Ejercito Estrada, Lacson, Sherwin Gatchalian, Manny Pacquiao, Richard Gordon, and Grace Poe.
Pimentel had called on the Supreme Court to review its decision, shortly after the justices granted on May 11 the quo warranto petition that invalidated Sereno's appointment.
Pimentel was also among the senators from the majority bloc who signed a resolution last week calling for a review of Sereno's ouster. (PS Jun Sarmiento/SunStar Philippines)