Senator Win Gatchalian delivers a statement as the new Senate President Pro Tempore after being elected by his colleagues, replacing Senator Loren Legarda during the Senate session on June 3, 2026. The members of the majority failed to attend the Senate session for three consecutive days following the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada on June 1, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — The June 3 session that broke an impasse at the Senate and led to a leadership change there “[appears] to be in accord with the facts and applicable law and jurisprudence”, the Supreme Court said as it dismissed a petition challenging its legitimacy.
What is the ‘quorum of 12’ that broke Senate standstill?
A quorum of 12 members elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian Senate president pro tempore at that session, where all positions except Senate president were declared vacant.
Gatchalian sat as acting Senate president while Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano insisted the leadership change was improper and against the rules.
In an en banc notice dated August 26 and signed by Clerk of Court Marife Lomibao-Cuevas, the SC said the petition for certiorari filed by taxpayers Atty. Valeriano Loon and Atty. Zigfred Diaz, was dismissed “for failure to show sufficiently that the respondents committed grave abuse of discretion.”
The notice was posted by Sen. Francis Pangilinan, one of the respondents, on his Facebook page.
Cayetano petition questioning June 3 session 'moot and academic'—Ex-SC justice
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