Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies have filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to declare the plenary session held on June 3, 2026, as null and void. The petitioners include Senators Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Camille Villar, along with Attorney Jose Luis Montales.
Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition
The group filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition, requesting the Supreme Court to issue a Status Quo Ante Order regarding the June 3 session. During that session, Senator Win Gatchalian was elected as Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore.
Key Demands
The petition calls for the issuance of a Status Quo Ante Order to restore the parties and conditions before the June 3 session, which allegedly led to the following events:
- The session was called by order of Senator Gatchalian on June 3, 2026.
- Declaration of quorum.
- Approval of motions declaring all elected Senate positions vacant, aiming to return all senators and affected officials to their positions before the reorganization.
- Election of respondent Senator Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and his appointment as Acting Senate President.
- Election of respondent Senator Zubiri as Majority Leader.
- Election of respondent Attorney Renato Bantug Jr. as Senate Secretary.
- Election of respondent Alfredo Corpus as Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.
- Appointment of respondent senators as Chairmen of various committees during and because of the June 3 session.
- Adoption of Proposed Senate Resolution No. 430(432) and Senate Resolution No. 48, amending Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials to allow the selection of a presiding officer for cases not involving the President of the Philippines.
- Adoption of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 10, aiming to adjourn sine die the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress no later than 12:00 midnight on June 3, 2026.
- All other acts, elections, and appointments by respondent senators arising from the void session and erroneous establishment of quorum.
Respondents and Further Requests
The respondents named in the petition include Senators Bam Aquino, Jinggoy Estrada, Chiz Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Francis Pangilinan, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, and Juan Miguel Zubiri. The petition also requests the Supreme Court to recognize and declare Cayetano as Senate President, Legarda as Senate President Pro Tempore, and all Senate committee chairmen as they were before June 3.
