Members of the newly formed “minority” bloc in the Senate—dominated by allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte—admitted they were blindsided by the sudden leadership change on September 8 (Monday).
The shake-up followed the ouster of Senator Chiz Escudero and the election of Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III as the new Senate President.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who served as Senate President Pro Tempore under Escudero, said he only learned about the coup plot while a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects was ongoing.
“I was dumbfounded, kanina (ko) lang (nalaman). Well, I talked to SP Chiz what’s happening because I read in social media na may mga kudeta ngang mangyayari sa Senate so I was surprised and it happens, wala tayong magagawa, they have the numbers so congratulations,” Estrada said in an ambush interview.
For Senator Imee Marcos, the President’s sister, the so-called “Duterte bloc” was left in the dark and effectively sidelined during the power shift.
“Parang nalito na kami nila Bato, nalito rin kami nila Bong Go, ano ba nangyayari? Pati si Senator Robin, napatakbo yata kay SP Chiz, nagkakalituhan bakit yung Duterte bloc, na-out kami,” Marcos remarked.
Meanwhile, siblings Senator Mark Villar and Senator Camille Villar appeared to have abandoned the Duterte bloc, defecting to the majority to back Senate President Sotto.