Senate coup talks ongoing, says Erwin Tulfo

Senator Erwin Tulfo on Thursday said talks of a leadership change at the Senate remain ongoing.

“Ongoing po ’yan, tuloy-tuloy po ’yan (That is ongoing),” Tulfo told reporters.

“Look at the number. 12-11. Parang matutukso ka eh. Labindalawa lang sila, labing-isa kami. Isa lang po humakbang diyan, tapos ang boksing,” he said.

(Look at the number. It’s tempting because they are only 12 and we are 11. We only need one more senator.)

On May 11, Alan Peter Cayetano was elected Senate President, replacing Vicente Sotto III, with a 13-9-2 vote.

Among those who voted for Cayetano was Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who resurfaced after months away from the public eye amid the issuance of an arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court.

Dela Rosa, however, again disappeared from public view following the May 13 shooting incident at the Senate.

The majority bloc currently consists of Dela Rosa and Senators Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Joel Villanueva, and siblings Camille Villar and Mark Villar.

The minority bloc, meanwhile, gained two additional members after Senators JV Ejercito and Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday said they would join with the bloc.

Despite speculation about a possible coup d’état, the Senate adjourned session on Monday without any leadership change. —AOL, GMA News