THE Duterte allies in the Senate have formally regrouped under the new minority bloc after last week’s leadership shake-up, vowing to stay united around shared principles despite losing key posts.
The reorganization came on September 9, 2025, when Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III replaced Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as Senate President. The following day, nine senators declared themselves part of the minority: Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Escudero, Joel Villanueva, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Rodante Marcoleta, and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
Go said their decision was rooted in shared causes, not convenience.
“Pagkatapos na pormal na maihalal si Sen. Tito Sotto na Senate President, nagbigay-galang ako sa kanya at sa ilang mga kasamahan niya sa Majority bloc upang ipahiwatig ang aking willingness to cooperate and work with them bilang kapwa senador kahit na may pagkakaiba kami sa opinyon sa iilang mga bagay (After Senator Tito Sotto was formally elected as Senate President, I paid my respects to him and some of his colleagues in the Majority bloc to show my willingness to cooperate and work with them as fellow senators, even if we may differ in opinion on certain issues),” Go said in a Facebook post.
Go out as Senate Health chair
The Senate stripped Senator Bong Go of his long-held chairmanship of the powerful Committee on Health and Demography, transferring the position to Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Go admitted he had asked to keep the post, citing his record on health measures and pandemic response, but Senate leaders denied his request.
“Nirerespeto ko iyon kahit na nakakalungkot pero ganyan talaga ang buhay. Patuloy pa rin naman nating isusulong na maisaayos at mailapit ang serbisyong kalusugan sa mga Pilipino
(I respect that decision even if it saddens me, but that’s life. I will continue to push for better and more accessible healthcare services for Filipinos),” He said.
Go’s exit from the post drew notice because he authored the Malasakit Centers Law and had been a visible figure during the COVID-19 crisis. Analysts said the change reflects the new majority’s shift in priorities under Sotto’s leadership.
Go underscored that he remains committed to public service, focusing on expanding healthcare access and upholding values he learned from former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Despite losing positions, the Duterte-aligned senators stressed they remain solid. Go said their bloc stands firm on the values they carried from the Duterte administration.
He clarified that he never intended to side with the majority, explaining that his courtesy call to Sotto after the leadership change was simply to avoid further political friction. DEF