LIVE UPDATES: Change in Senate leadership (June 3, 2026)

Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday evening authorized Senate offices to shift to a work-from-home setup on Thursday, June 4, saying there was no official business on that date.

The work-from-home setup coincided with the hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee on the flood control mess announced by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

According to the memorandum issued hours after Gatchalian was elected Senate Pro Tempore, the work-from-home setup would give way “to the organization of committees under the new chairpersons." It said no official business had been scheduled for that date.

“In light of these developments and to preserve the neutrality of the Senate bureaucracy, all Senate Secretariat and Senate Proper offices are hereby authorized to work-from-home (WFH) on the said date,” the memorandum read.

Without physically appearing before the Senate session, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday declared the sine die adjournment of the upper chamber through a memorandum that was circulated to senators present at the plenary hall.

Former Senate Secretary Jose Luis Montales distributed the document dated June 3 to senators who were present at the plenary hall during the last session day of Congress.

“Pursuant to the Rules of the Senate and the approved Legislative Calendar, and in accordance with tradition, the Senate is in sine die adjournment and is scheduled to resume regular session at 10 a.m. on July 27, 2026,” the memorandum said.

“During the adjournment period, Senate committees may continue to conduct hearings, meetings, consultations, and investigations in aid of legislation,” it added.

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday night warned of what he described as a brewing constitutional crisis, as he appealed for calm and urged that the Senate not be “padlocked” amid tensions over leadership and committee control.

Speaking in a Facebook Live broadcast, Cayetano said the upper chamber must remain open and accessible to allow the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings to proceed, warning that any attempt to restrict access could prompt public protests.

“Do not padlock the Senate. Do not use the excuse that there is a rally; there is always a rally at the Senate anyway,” he said.

“Do not tempt the Filipino people to come out in thousands, [hundreds of] thousands, and millions,” he added.

Senator Erwin Tulfo, the new chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said the probe into anomalous flood control projects will be moved to Monday, June 8.

This is to give members enough time to prepare and for the committee to review of the resource persons to be invited to the legislative inquiry.

“There will be a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday. We are just moving the schedule date from tomorrow to prepare all members,” the senator told reporters in a press conference. 

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is no longer Senate President, a statement from the "new majority" said Wednesday.

"Hindi pa lamang naihahalal si Senator Win Gatchalian bilang bagong Senate President dahil kailangan pa ng 13 boto sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon. Pero ito ang malinaw at mahalaga ngayon: bakante na ang lahat ng posisyon, tapos na ang dating liderato at dapat magpatuloy ang trabaho ng Senado para sa taumbayan," they added.

(Senator [Sherwin Gatchalian] cannot be elected as Senate President because 13 votes are needed under the Constitution. But one thing is clear, all posts are vacant, the previous leadership has ended and work in the Senate should resume for the people.)

The 12 senators are:

Senate President Pro-tempore Sherwin Gatchalian and Senators Vicente Sotto III, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Francis Pangilinan, Francis Escudero, Bam Aquino, Lito Lapid, brothers Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson and JV Ejercito.

Gatchalian was named acting Senate President.

Applause from fellow senators greeted Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero as he entered the Senate plenary hall on Wednesday to join the 11 minority senators, saying the ongoing impasse in the chamber had become "untenable and unacceptable" and was already affecting the Senate's performance of duties.

With 12 senators present, a roll call was called, and a quorum was declared, paving the way for the election of Senate officials, except for the Senate presidency and heads of several key committees.

The Senate had failed to convene for two days since Monday due to the absence of the members of the majority bloc.

"The current impasse in the Senate is untenable and unacceptable," Escudero said in a statement.

"When political divisions become too extreme and obstruct our mandate, we must all have the courage to pause, gain perspective, reflect, consider, and realize that we should put the Senate, as the institution that we serve, above ourselves," he added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is the new acting Senate President and Senate President Pro-Tempore.

Gatchalian was installed Wednesday after the upper chamber reached a quorum following the appearance of Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero.

Escudero is the only majority bloc member that attended the Plenary session, breaking the two consecutive days the Senate did not hold session due to the majority bloc's continued absence.