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[GMA News @gmanews]

WATCH: Senate President Pro Tempore Win Gatchalian takes his oath as the new Senate President at today's special session at Senate.

Sen. Gatchalian was nominated by Sen. Migz Zubiri.

Watch GMA News' special coverage on the Congress special session:
https://t.co/mEdD5xV6Ce

[News5 @News5PH]

Senate holds special session (June 17, 2026)

LIVE: https://t.co/k98u4rY9GZ

* Kinumpirma ni Sen. Migz Zubiri na umanib na sa Gatchalian bloc si Sen. Joel Villanueva

* Idineklara ang quorum matapos lumipat si Villanueva bilang ika-13 miyembro ng Gatchalian bloc

* Sen. Gatchalian, ni-nominate ni Sen. Zubiri bilang bagong Senate President

* Sen. Gatchalian, opisyal nang inihalal bilang Senate President

* Sen. Sotto, ni-nominate ni Sen. Lacson bilang bagong Senate President Pro Tempore

* Sen. Sotto, inihalal at nanumpa bilang bagong Senate President Pro Tempore

* Sen. Zubiri, nanumpa bilang bagong chairperson ng Committee on Rules

[Inquirer @inquirerdotnet]

BREAKING: Sen. Win Gatchalian has been elected the new Senate President with the support of 13 senators during the Senate special session. This comes exactly two weeks since he was named the Senate President Pro Tempore. | @keithcINQ

[Inquirer @inquirerdotnet]

‘ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD APPLY TO ALL, BIG OR SMALL’

READ: Atty. Jesus Nicardo Falcis III accepts his one-year suspension from legal practice and implores the Supreme Court to resolve the pending disbarment cases of former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte to "show that no one is above the law." | via Hiroshi Suto, https://t.co/E0yNJSWpUY trainee

READ MORE: https://t.co/IFZAa370RE

[Win Gatchalian @WinGatchalian74]

Araw-araw, may pagkakataon tayong isabuhay ang ating demokrasya. 🇵🇭

[Jay Tarriela @jaytaryela]

Beijing accuses us of “hyping.” Let us be precise about what actually happened. We observed a structure inside Bajo de Masinloc. We documented it, dated it, geolocated it, and released the aerial imagery to the public. That is not hype — that is transparency. And transparency is only threatening to the party that has something to hide.

To “hype” something is to exaggerate or invent it. We did neither. The imagery speaks for itself, and we put it in front of the Filipino people, the region, and the international community precisely so that no one has to take our word for it — or Beijing’s. The fact that China’s instinct is to attack the reporting rather than explain the structure tells you everything. What is irresponsible is not a coast guard doing its job and informing the public. What is irresponsible is the unilateral placement of structures in another country’s exclusive economic zone, in open defiance of the 2016 Arbitral Award — and then calling the act of documenting it a provocation.

And there is a reason we cannot simply accept Beijing’s description of these as “normal activities.” We have heard this before. When the People’s Republic of China first occupied Mischief Reef in 1995, it assured the world that the structures it was putting up were nothing more than shelters for its fishermen. Today, Mischief Reef is a fully militarized artificial island — runway, hangars, radar, missile capabilities — sitting squarely inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The “fishermen’s shelter” was the cover story.

So when China waves away the structure at Bajo de Masinloc as “normal,” it is asking the region to forget its own record. That is precisely why these actions cannot be taken at face value.

If China genuinely wants to be believed, there is a simple way to show it: pull out. Remove the platform, halt the installation of buoys/communication towers, and respect the 2016 Arbitral Award and waters that are legally ours. Anything less only confirms the pattern — that China’s assurances at Bajo de Masinloc today are worth exactly what its word at Mischief Reef proved to be three decades ago.

The choice belongs to Beijing. It can preserve what little good faith the region and the international community still extend to it, or it can keep proving why that trust was misplaced to begin with.

[Thea Tan @imtheatan]

When we look at the Philippine flag, we are looking at centuries of people who just refused to back down.

Our independence was not handed to us; it was paid for in pure resilience and a refusal to be silenced.

But freedom is not just a moment in the past; it is how we show up today.

It’s in the way we protect our heritage, and loudly own our identity.

Every time we stand tall against the odds, we’re keeping that fire burning.

We are the living, breathing proof that the Filipino spirit can never be contained.

We are our ancestors' wildest, freest dream.

[Interaksyon @interaksyon]

QUIET ACT OF RESPECT DURING FLAG CEREMONY GOES VIRAL

A student standing at attention during the national anthem outside the National Museum has drawn praise online for his show of respect, with many calling it a reminder of patriotism and proper flag etiquette.

Read: https://t.co/AS7xkIvDbK

[News5 @News5PH]

GATCHALIAN AS SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

Nakalista na sa Senate website si Sen. Win Gatchalian bilang Senate President Pro Tempore.

Nawala naman ang designation ni Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano bilang Senate President.

Kasunod ito ng pagdeklara ng quorum ng 12 senador noong June 3, na nagbigay-daan sa reorganization sa Senado.

[Inquirer @inquirerdotnet]

‘DISGRACE TO THE SENATE’

Negros Occidental 1st District Rep. Julio Ledesma IV has urged leaders of local government units, at least in his constituency, to declare Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano persona non grata in their respective localities.

READ MORE: https://t.co/AExGrHTGqJ

[Ꮆ Ꭵ Ꮛ @gesperas]

Ipapaalala ko lang po ang sinabi ni Mayor Vico Sotto:

“Hindi lang sila basta naglalaglagan, gusto nila magulo ang kwento. Gusto nila lituhin tayo. Gusto nila na di na natin malalaman ang totoo.”

"These are people who are really capable of lying without batting an eyelash."
https://t.co/w2hoo9sV3L

[Pilipinas Today @PilipinasToday_]

'NO CAYETANO FOR 2028?'

Ito ang pahayag ni bagong PTV-4 General Manager Lino Cayetano, dating alkalde ng Taguig City at nakababatang kapatid nina Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano at Sen. Pia Cayetano.

#PilipinasToday
#LinoCayetano
#PiaCayetano
#AlanPeterCayetano
#MajorityBloc

[Inquirer @inquirerdotnet]

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been informed of a complaint against senators and officials who allegedly helped Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa evade arrest, according to a civil society group.

READ MORE: https://t.co/ERL9YwVhGb

[Akbayan Partylist @AkbayanParty]

𝗔𝗞𝗕𝗔𝗬𝗔𝗡 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗢 𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬

Akbayan Party welcomes the ouster of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President. We consign him to the dustbin of history as one of the shortest-serving, yet worst, Senate Presidents in the country’s history.

Despite his extremely short tenure, Cayetano presided over a descent into complete chaos that further eroded the Senate’s remaining credibility that will take years to undo.

We call on the new Senate leadership to restore order, integrity, and public trust without delay. This must begin with a full, transparent inquiry into the sequence of events that led to the recent turmoil, including the coddling of international fugitive and accused mass murderer Senator Bato dela Rosa and the May 13 Senate shooting incident, where his escape was enabled with the assistance of Senator Robin Padilla and others.

We also urge the Senate to also convene without delay the impeachment court and proceed with the trial of twice-impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, in line with its constitutional duty to uphold justice without fear or favor.

Lastly, we call on the public to remain vigilant against any renewed attempt to undermine, distort, or capture the Senate institution once more.

#AkbayanPartylist

[GMA News @gmanews]

'SENATE PRESIDENT ALAN PETER CAYETANO SHOULD RESIGN'

Nanawagan si Sen. Erwin Tulfo kasama ang mga miyembro ng minorya kay Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano na bumaba sa kaniyang puwesto dahil hindi na aniya nito nagagampanan ang kaniyang responsibilidad bilang lider ng Senado.

Ito ay matapos ang dalawang sunod na araw na hindi pagdalo ng mga miyembro ng mayorya sa sesyon ng Senado.

Bisitahin ang https://t.co/bAMF9JO2Xs para sa updates.

[ᴜ ɴ ᴏ @_MIGZ29]

🎯🎯🎯

[Philstar.com @PhilstarNews]

NEW COMMITTEE CHAIRS ELECTED AFTER SENATE QUORUM CONVENES

The Senate deadlock was finally broken after majority bloc senator Chiz Escudero attended the plenary session on Wednesday, forming a quorum.

The session saw the election of Sen. Win Gatchalian as the new Senate President Pro Tempore and as the acting Senate President.

New committee chairs were likewise elected during the session, with some members being reinstated to their previous positions that they held before the election of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Read: https://t.co/KJ4GEInOIl

[NewsWatch Plus PH @newswatchplusph]

Itinalagang acting Senate president si Win Gatchalian matapos magkaroon ng quorum dahil nagpakita si Senador Chiz Escudero sa session ngayong araw habang ang mga dating kaalyado niya sa pangunguna ni Alan Peter Cayetano hindi pa rin sumipot sa session.

Nagbalasahan rin ng committee chairmanships pero hindi raw ito kinikilala ni Cayetano.

Narito ang Senate Watch ni @eimorpsantos.

[Win Gatchalian @WinGatchalian74]

Ilang araw nang nabinbin ang trabaho ng Senado dahil sa hindi pagkakaunawaan. Ngunit hindi ito maaaring magpatuloy.

Araw-araw, milyon-milyong piso mula sa buwis ng taumbayan ang ginagamit upang pondohan ang Senado. Karapatan nilang makita na ginagawa natin ang ating tungkulin at tinutugunan ang mga usaping mahalaga sa kanilang buhay.

Simple ang aking panawagan: sundin natin ang mga panuntunan, dumalo sa sesyon, at gawin ang ating trabaho.

Hindi ito usapin ng mayorya o minorya, kundi ng ating pananagutan sa sambayanang Pilipino.

Ngayon ang huling araw ng sesyon. Wala nang oras para sa pagkaantala. Marami pang mahahalagang usapin ang naghihintay ng aksyon.

Patuloy kong gagampanan ang aking tungkulin at umaasa akong maituon natin ang ating pansin sa mga Pilipinong umaasa sa atin.

Magtrabaho na po tayo.

[Inquirer @inquirerdotnet]

NEW SENATE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

The new Senate majority bloc elects its members as chairs of the following committees after Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian was elected Senate President Pro Tempore and Acting Senate President due to the majority bloc’s absences.

READ RELATED STORY: https://t.co/2Wt29wHDxj