Alan Peter Cayetano is new Senate minority leader

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was elected as the leader of the nine-member minority bloc in the Senate on Tuesday.

Senator Joel Villanueva made the motion during the plenary session to elect Cayetano, which was approved by newly installed Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Cayetano was also the minority leader from 2010 to 2013.

Other members of the new minority bloc are Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Joel Villanueva, Rodante Marcoleta, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher "Bong" Go, and Jinggoy Estrada.

Villanueva and Marcoleta were elected as deputy minority leaders.

This came after the change of leadership on Monday when Escudero was replaced by Sotto as Senate president.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, was elected as the new Senate President Pro Tempore, replacing Estrada. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri was named as the new Senate Majority Leader, replacing Villanueva.

Majority bloc

During Tuesday’s plenary session, Senator Risa Hontiveros and JV Ejercito were also named as deputy majority leaders. 

Lacson was likewise given the chairmanship of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. 

These senators will also serve as the new chairpersons of the following committees: 

Raffy Tulfo- Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development 

Loren Legarda- Higher, Technical and Vocational Education; National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation; Accounts

JV Ejercito- Public Order and Dangerous Drugs

Risa Hontiveros- Health and Demography 

— VBL, GMA Integrated News