Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto was formally elected Senate President this afternoon, replacing Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero in a sudden leadership change at the Philippine Senate.
The move came after Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri filed a motion at the start of session to vacate the position of Senate President. Moments later, Zubiri immediately nominated Sotto for the top post, a nomination quickly seconded by Sen. Loren Legarda.
Earlier in the day, Sotto confirmed the leadership change before the session began. He said he personally spoke with Escudero in the morning about the transition.
The session proceeded with the motion and nomination, making the change official within the chamber. Sotto now assumes the role of presiding officer, placing him in charge of Senate proceedings and legislative priorities.
Escudero’s removal marks another shift in Senate leadership, which has often reflected shifting alliances and political maneuvering within the chamber. No public statement from Escudero was mentioned during the session, but Sotto emphasized that the matter had already been discussed between them.
