It was an ouster that sparked concerns for the independence of the Senate.
“I failed to follow instructions from the powers that be. Simple as that,” Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said in a privilege speech on Monday, May 20, where he announced that he was stepping down as Senate President two years into the Marcos administration.
As in many key decisions that the Philippine legislature makes these days, the vote happened behind closed doors, devoid of transparency.
Zubiri said he offered to resign when he was shown the signatures of 13 senators who supported his ouster.
In the end, a total of 15 senators signed to remove Zubiri in favor of Sen. Francis Escudero.
The list of signatories provided by PCIJ sources in the Senate included Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, whose investigation into the President’s alleged drug use was among the reasons Zubiri believed why he was removed.
Vote of the ‘Duterte senators’
In his privilege speech, Zubiri said he believed that Dela Rosa “stuck it out with me to the very end” and expressed disbelief that fellow “Duterte senators” did not support him. During an interview with ABS-CBN’s RG Cruz, he wasn’t so sure anymore.
Dela Rosa was seen crying on the Senate floor while Zubiri was delivering his privilege speech on Monday.
“Hindi ko po alam kung pumirma siya sa kabila. Medyo sasama ang loob ko dahil nga sa hearing [ay] nadali nga ako (I don’t know if he signed to support the other side. I’m going to be upset because it was his hearings that got me in trouble),” Zubiri told ABS-CBN.
Hindi ko po alam kung pumirma siya sa kabila. Medyo sasama ang loob ko dahil nga sa hearing [ay] nadali nga ako
Sen. Juan miguel zubiri on sen. ronald dela rosa
Senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong Go,” Francis Tolentino, and Robin Padilla also voted to oust him.
Zubiri spoke of the betrayal of other colleagues. He said one senator committed the “full support” of his or her bloc as of Saturday, but he could not reach the same senator on Sunday anymore.
“From full support to no support,” Zubiri said. “I am heartbroken.”
Siblings Alan and Pia Cayetano, mother-and-son Cynthia and Mark Villar, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Raffy Tulfo and Grace Poe also voted for Zubiri’s ouster.
Speculations on revival of People’s Initiative
The ouster has been imminent. Zubiri said the “attacks” on the Senate began in January when he didn’t follow Malacañang timeline on the proposed people’s initiative (PI), a mode for Charter change, to lift limits on foreign ownership in the country.
“God knows what I have to do to defend the Senate,” said Zubiri, who opposed PI.
“I’ve been very loyal to the President. I try to give him good counsel. Doon sa PI, sinabihan ko siya na, ‘Masama po ito sa ating bansa. Umpisa po ito ng kaguluhan.’ If this is the consequence of being independent, then so be it,” he said.
The new Senate President, Escudero, also opposed PI.
“Strange bedfellows,” said Zubiri.
2025 ELECTIONS
The ouster happened a year before the 2025 midterm elections. It is expected to affect political alignments in a race that will shape the next presidential elections in 2028.
All re-electionists voted to oust Zubiri: Dela Rosa, Go, Marcos, Tolentino, Pia Cayetano, Lapid and Revilla.
Escudero will also oversee the passage of the 2025 budget, known as the “election budget.” Poe took over as chairman of the committee on finance.
Poe replaced Angara, who resigned from the position to give the new leadership a free hand to reshuffle committee chairmanships.
“When this institution was under threat, ipinaglaban ni Senate President Zubiri ang ating institusyon. Ipinaglaban niya ang ating taong bayan doon sa mga gustong solohin ang kapangyarihan (Senate President Zubiri fought for the institution. He fought to protect the people from those who want to monopolize power),” said Angara.
Zubiri allies, Senators Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda and Joel Villanueva, also resigned from their posts. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian did not resign from his post.
Senate minority members Risa Hontiveros and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel did not participate in the vote. — PCIJ.org