MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Win Gatchalian expressed disappointment over the condition of the office vacated by Senator Jinggoy Estrada before it was turned over to Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, emphasizing the need for mutual respect and proper communication during transitions.
In a radio interview on Saturday, October 10, Gatchalian said he was dismayed after seeing photographs of the nearly empty office that Sotto was expected to occupy. He noted that renovations would take considerable time but assured that the Senate would provide assistance.
“Ang standard practice ay pagbibigay respeto sa isa’t isa,” Gatchalian said.
“Disappointed talaga. Nakita nyo naman yung picture, bare na bare. At kakailanganin ni Senator Sotto ng medyo matagal-tagal pa ng oras para marenovate yung office na yun. At of course, tutulungan ng Senado para marenovate yun,” he said.
“But ang bottomline dito, sana nagkaroon ng magandang pag-uusap,” he added.
The controversy gained public attention after Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson shared an AI-generated image depicting Sotto working in a dimly lit, nearly empty room. The post came amid reports that the office had been stripped of several fixtures, including floor tiles, lighting equipment, and bathroom installations, after Estrada vacated the premises.
Estrada’s camp, however, maintained that Sotto’s office had been informed in advance about the removal of the items.
In a statement, Estrada’s office said his chief of staff, Atty. Racquel Mejia, had notified Sotto’s office before the October 5 deadline that fixtures and other materials would be transferred to Estrada’s new office.
The senator’s camp explained that several items, including tiles, glass panels, lighting fixtures, and cabinets, had been purchased using Estrada’s personal funds because the Senate’s renovation budget was insufficient to cover the expenses.
“It bears noting that standard practice in the Senate is for the senator occupying an office to renovate the space based on the budget provided, with any expense beyond that shouldered entirely by the occupant,” Estrada’s office said.
Gatchalian compares office turnover with Sotto’s move
Gatchalian also cited Sotto’s handling of his own departure from the Senate President’s office, saying his predecessor left the furnishings intact when he turned over the space.
According to Gatchalian, Sotto even left behind some of his personal furniture to spare him from additional expenses, as his term is expected to continue until 2028.
“In fact, pati upuan niya nga, iniwan niya, pati lamesa niya, iniwan niya. Ineexpect ko nga tatanggalin, but iniwan niya na. Sabi niya, ‘para hindi ka na gumastos’,” Gatchalian said.
Ombudsman seeks to inspect vacated office
Meanwhile, Gatchalian confirmed that the Office of the Ombudsman had sent a letter requesting permission to inspect the vacated office.
He said the agency did not specify the purpose of the inspection but instructed Senate personnel to cooperate and provide the necessary assistance and documents.
“Wala naman silang sinabi kung ano yung pakay. Obvious naman yun, Ombudsman. So ang aking naman instruction sa secretary ay ibigay natin yung ating cooperation at mag-assist tayo doon sa kanilang mga pangangailangan,” he said.
“At maging truthful, maging tapat sa mga dokumento,” he added.
Gatchalian also disclosed that the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), which owns the building, had inspected the office following the circulation of photographs showing its condition.
He said the agency was concerned about the structural integrity of the premises.
“Yung GSIS naman concerned sila doon sa structural integrity of the office dahil sa kanila yung opisina,” Gatchalian said.