Senate President Escudero removed from office, Sotto assumes position instead
In a dramatic turn of events, Chiz Escudero was ousted as Senate President on September 8, 2022, marking the end of his tenure that spanned over four years. The leadership change was supported by 15 senators, including the newly elected Senate President Pro Tempore, Ping Lacson, and the majority leader, Migz Zubiri.
The ousting came after an investigation into anomalous government flood control projects, casting a shadow over Escudero's leadership. His alleged delaying tactics on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte had also attracted heavy criticism.
Escudero's strained relationship with the House, largely due to differing positions on impeachment issues, further fuelled speculation about his ousting. His campaign top donor, Lawrence Lubiano, who is the president of Centerways Construction and Development Incorporated, has been linked to these projects.
Interestingly, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s original choice for the position of Senate President was Juan Miguel Zubiri, not Escudero. Tito Sotto, who met with Escudero and secured his agreement to step down, was Marcos' choice for the Senate presidency, a claim that was previously made by our website.
Sotto, who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022, made a Senate comeback in 2010 and was reelected in 2016. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2022. Sotto's first term as senator began in 1992 and ended in 2004.
Escudero dismissed allegations of making multi-billion peso insertions in the 2025 national budget, denouncing them as a "demolition job" by the House of Representatives. He has yet to comment on his ousting.
With the leadership change, the Senate is expected to take a new direction, and the focus will shift towards addressing the pressing issues facing the nation. The new leadership will have to navigate through the complexities of politics and governance to deliver on their promises and restore public trust in the Senate.
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