Gatchalian formally elected as Senate President

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

FORMALLY ELECTED. Senators formally elect on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President after Senator Joel Villanueva’s presence brought the number of senators on the floor to 13 — enough to declare a quorum and elect the chamber’s leader. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – The Senate on Wednesday formally elected Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President after the presence of Senator Joel Villanueva brought the number of senators on the floor to 13.

After declaring a quorum, Gatchalian recognized Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who moved to proceed with the election of the Senate President and nominated Gatchalian for the post.

Zubiri cited Gatchalian’s record as Valenzuela City mayor, member of the House of Representatives, senator, and chairperson of major committees, including energy, economic affairs, basic education, and finance.

“He is the leader that the Senate needs in this time of division and disarray,” Zubiri said in his nomination speech.

Zubiri said Gatchalian has shown competence, discipline, and strong work ethic, particularly in handling the finance committee and pushing transparency in the national budget.

“I have every confidence that as Senate President, you will be able to set the institution back on the right path, guided by the highest standards of service, integrity, and morality,” Zubiri said.

With no other nominees, the nominations were closed and the chamber approved Gatchalian’s election.

Senators also elected Vicente Sotto III as Senate President Pro Tempore and Zubiri as Senate Majority Leader.

As this developed, the Philippine National Police (PNP) appealed to political supporters to remain calm and to respect the rule of law amid the possible protest actions as Congress held its special session on Wednesday.

“While we fully respect everyone’s freedom to express opinion and participate in a political activity, we in the PNP believe that this could be done without resorting to any move that could compromise the safety of anybody,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.

Nartatez noted that the PNP has long prepared calibrated responses for any eventuality, especially at the Senate, where more than 300 police personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) are regularly deployed, with the option to increase the number if crowds grow.

Tight security checks were in place, including vehicle inspections and strict ID verification for entry.

The PNP said coordination with both the Senate and the House of Representatives was also strengthened.

“While we remain apolitical and non-partisan, our focus remains on maintaining peace and order in society amid these political tensions,” Nartatez said.

This article is republished from PNA.