SENATOR Vicente “Tito” Sotto III was elected again as Senate president, replacing Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Sotto was nominated and subsequently elected after the position was declared vacant following a motion made by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Sotto was unopposed.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was elected as the new Senate President Pro Tempore, replacing Senator Jinggoy Estrada, while Zubiri was named Senate Majority Leader.
Zubiri took the place of Senator Joel Villanueva.
In his speech, Sotto thanked his colleagues for their support.
“I will do everything in my capacity to ensure that this Senate will remain cooperative but independent, balanced, transparent and sincere,” Sotto said.
Sotto served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022, under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The change in Senate leadership came amid the chamber’s investigation into anomalous government flood control projects.
Escudero has been linked to Lawrence Lubiano, the president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., one of his major campaign contributors in the 2022 Senate race.
Centerways Construction and Development Inc. was among the top 15 firms that secured 20 percent, or P100 billion, out of the total P545 billion worth of flood control projects across the country from July 2022 to May 2025, based on records publicized by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, August 11.
Escudero, however, earlier denied involvement in the firm’s businesses, particularly in securing government projects. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)