Philippine Senate Leadership Battle Ends with Marcos Ally Victorious

(Central News Agency, Manila, 17th -综合 international news) The leadership deadlock in the Philippine Senate ended today, as allies of former President Duterte lost their leadership positions. The Senate is expected to soon initiate impeachment proceedings against Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte and current Vice President.

According to the Associated Press, Sherwin Gatchalian, an ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was elected Senate President after securing 13 votes out of 24 senators. His opponent, Alan Peter Cayetano, a key figure in the Duterte camp, has conceded defeat.

For the past two weeks, both sides had claimed victory based on differing legal interpretations of quorum requirements. However, one senator from Cayetano's bloc defected today, giving Gatchalian's side a clear majority.

Jean Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, said, "This is a relief," but acknowledged that the country's democratic institutions remain "fragile and unstable," and will continue to face challenges.

The internal power struggle in the Senate is widely seen as stemming from the long-standing political rift between President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte. Once allies, their relationship has deteriorated, highlighting the Philippines' chronic political divisions and instability.

Sara Duterte believes President Marcos is responsible for the arrest and transfer of her father, Rodrigo Duterte, to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to stand trial in November on charges related to crimes against humanity.

The Senate is expected to begin impeachment proceedings against Sara Duterte in July, making control of the chamber highly significant. She was impeached by the House of Representatives last month on charges including unexplained wealth and publicly threatening to assassinate President Marcos. The House is currently dominated by Marcos allies.

Sara Duterte denies all allegations, and her supporters claim they are politically motivated attempts to prevent her from running for president in 2028. (Translated by Liu Wen-Yu) 1150617

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