Senator Lito Lapid on Tuesday dispelled social media rumors claiming he had jumped ship to the Senate majority bloc, firmly stating his allegiance remains with the 11-member minority group led by Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III.
Speaking during the Senate plenary session, Lapid addressed the speculation directly to clarify his political standing.
“Marami pong kumakalat sa social media na ako’y lumipat na sa majority, hindi po totoo yan. Mananatili po ako sa minority group at hindi po ako aalis dito,” Lapid clarified.
During the same session, Lapid expressed his alignment with Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri’s previous motion to expunge from the Senate records a video presentation delivered by Senator Imee Marcos, which contained political allegations against other lawmakers.
“Yun pong motion ni Senator Zubiri kahapon ay sinusuportahan ko po. Hindi lang po ako nakapagsalita dahil akala ko may botohan, yun pala wala naman,” he explained.
The video in question—a nine-minute presentation regarding an alleged constitutional assembly plot—was heavily criticized by the minority bloc on Monday, with members labeling it as “propaganda” and “fake news.”
Following intense pushback from the minority lawmakers, Marcos ultimately agreed to withdraw the material.
Amid the friction, Lapid made a plea for solidarity among his colleagues, urging the upper chamber to move past internal disputes and focus on rebuilding the public’s trust in the institution.
“Hiling ko lang po dito sa Senado sana magkaisa tayo, iwasan ang bangayan… Ipagdasal niyo po kami para maibalik na ang dangal ng Senado,” Lapid added.