Sotto: Minority senator offered my post to Legarda, who refused
After yet another failed attempt to oust him from his post, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Tuesday that the majority bloc remains solid, adding that one or two members of the minority may even defect to their side.
Speaking to reporters in an ambush interview, Sotto confirmed that someone from the minority bloc offered the Senate presidency to Sen. Loren Legarda, although she declined.
“That is what I was told. You should ask them for the details because I don’t want them to come from me,” Sotto said.
Disinterested
According to him, Legarda herself told him about the offer made to her, although she said she was not interested in his post.
“Our majority bloc is very solid. As a matter of fact, there may be one or two who were not with us previously who may be joining us,” Sotto said, although he did not name names.
Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano admitted that they could not muster the 13 votes needed to change the current Senate leadership.
“Not today … It is a rumor until it’s there,” he said, adding that there are always discussions among senators about the direction of the Senate under its new leaders.
Sotto assumed the Senate presidency in September 2025 after Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was ousted over his alleged involvement in anomalous infrastructure projects.
Fifteen senators voted in favor of Sotto, among them Panfilo Lacson, Risa Hontivero, Bam Aquino, Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan, Miguel Zubiri and JV Ejercito.
