RUMORS of a leadership shake-up in the Senate have emerged again over the past days, putting Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at the center of speculation about an alleged plan to unseat him.
Speculation about a possible coup against Sotto began earlier this week, fueled by closed-door discussions among senators and unusual developments during a recent Senate session.
There had been reports that some lawmakers were quietly exploring alternatives to Sotto’s leadership, with Senator Loren Legarda mentioned as a potential successor.
On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, when Legarda briefly presided over the Senate session, leading Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri addressed her as “Madame President” before moving to adjourn proceedings.
After this, in an ambush interview with reporters, Sotto downplayed the idea of an active attempt to remove him.
Sotto denied any formal plan to share or relinquish power, dismissing talk of a “term-sharing” arrangement with Legarda.
“Hindi. Wala, katuwaan lang namin,” Sotto told reporters, emphasizing that rumors about leadership turnover were more playful than political plotting.
In another interview, Sotto maintained that the 15-member majority bloc remains intact.
In a chance interview, Legarda herself has maintained she has no knowledge of any plot to unseat Sotto.
“I have no idea. That’s why I don’t like to comment on something that I have no idea of and I was not informed,” Legarda said.
“Wala akong ideya. Wala kaming pinag-uusapan pa and don’t worry, tatanong ko sa kanya ang katanungan,” she added.
(I have no idea. We haven’t discussed it yet, and don’t worry, I’ll ask him the question.)
Meanwhile, in a radio interview, Senate Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the coup rumors could have stemmed from the Blue Ribbon’s committee’s draft report in relation to its investigation on alleged anomalous flood control projects.
In the panel’s partial report, it recommended the filing of plunder and other criminal charges against Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, and several others over alleged irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control projects.
The report also recommends the filing of plunder, malversation of public funds, and direct bribery against former senator Bong Revilla, former congresswoman Mitch Cajayon Uy, and former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan.
The partial report has to be signed and approved by at least 11 senators, or else there will be no official committee report. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)