It's over. Alan Peter Cayetano's stormy Senate presidency ended on Wednesday, June 17, when he finally gave up his claim to the top post just before a special session. In that session, senators elected Sherwin Gatchalian as the new Senate president.
Cayetano had been holding on since June 3, when a majority of senators declared his seat vacant and named Gatchalian as acting Senate president. But Cayetano insisted he was still the legitimate leader, claiming the numbers were on his side. On Wednesday, he surrendered.
How did we get here? It all started on May 11. That Monday, Senator Bato dela Rosa—facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the Duterte drug war—showed up at the Senate. NBI agents tried to arrest him. Cayetano declared Dela Rosa under the Senate's "protective custody" and unseated Tito Sotto in a surprise coup backed by Duterte allies. The Senate complex went into lockdown, and senators cited NBI agents for contempt.
The next day, May 12, five senators—Tito Sotto, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Ping Lacson, and Kiko Pangilinan—signed a resolution urging Dela Rosa to surrender to authorities.
On May 13, things got worse. The Senate locked down again. Then gunfire erupted between Senate security and NBI agents. Cayetano held a press conference, criticising the senators who wanted Dela Rosa to surrender. Outside, a crowd gathered, demanding Dela Rosa's arrest and the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said the Senate shouldn't be an asylum for fugitives.
By May 14, Dela Rosa had slipped out of the Senate in the wee hours. Cayetano confirmed it but went ballistic when asked if the standoff was staged to help Dela Rosa flee. Still, he insisted the Senate would convene as an impeachment court on May 18.
On May 15, the Ombudsman suspended Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca—a PMA classmate of Dela Rosa—over the shooting incident. Aplasca had fired warning shots.
May 17 brought more pressure. Former UP student leaders called on Cayetano—a former UP student leader himself—to step down, citing a "profound failure in judgment, leadership, and institutional responsibility." Former Senate President Franklin Drilon also said Cayetano should be held accountable.
The Senate convened as an impeachment court on May 18 as planned. But the damage was done. On May 20, Senator Risa Hontiveros gave a privilege speech on the gunfire, triggering an emotional outburst from Pia Cayetano, Alan's sister. Her meltdown became a meme. Later, Cayetano joked he might one day vote for Gatchalian—the man who would soon replace him.
On May 25, the minority bloc slammed Senator Imee Marcos over a video presentation that insinuated... [source cut off]. But the writing was on the wall. On June 3, the Senate ousted Cayetano and made Gatchalian acting president. Cayetano fought for two more weeks before finally giving up on June 17.
Now, Gatchalian is the Senate president. The chaos is over—for now. But the questions remain: What does this mean for Dela Rosa's ICC case? And for the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte? For now, the Senate is trying to get back to normal.