Sen. Tito Sotto Replaced with Now-Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano
TITO SOTTO – The former Senate President believes on possibility that his ouster may be due to Vice President Sara Duterte’s possible impeachment trial.
Recently, countless Filipinos were surprised with the sudden change of leadership in the Senate. Former Senate Pres. Tito Sotto was ousted and replaced by now-SP Alan Peter Cayetano after 13 senators declared the Senate president vacant.
Only nine (9) senators voted for Sotto to remain in the Senate presidency while two (2) others abstained from voting. Prior to his ouster, there were already rumors of an alleged looming coup in the Senate amid the possible impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
After she skipped four (4) impeachment hearings, the House Committee on Justice found probable cause to impeach Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. The inquiries were conducted after two (2) impeachment complaints were found substantial in form, substance, and grounds.
In an interview with the media based on a post of ABS-CBN News, former Senate Pres. Tito Sotto admitted his belief that the possible impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte may be involved in his ouster.
“Very strong possibility ‘yan,” Sotto said based on the post when asked if he believes that his unseating is probably part of blocking the Senate from convening as an impeachment court.
The former Senate President was vocal that the chamber should convene “forthwith” as an impeachment court if an impeachment is transmitted to the upper chamber. Previously, then-Senate Pres. Tito Sotto claimed that the preparations on the possible impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will not affect their legislative work.
Sotto also previously claimed that he has sought the help of some of his “justice” friends over the possibility that the chamber will convene as an impeachment court. He also claimed that he recently met with some of the majority senators over dinner to give them a heads up on the possibility of the Vice President’s impeachment reaching the Senate.
Then-Senate Pres. Tito Sotto spoke about speaking guide from some of his justice friends over the possible impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Here are the findings of the House of Representatives’ justice panel over the impeachment complaints versus the Vice President:
- Detainee Ramil Madriaga’s account of disbursing P125 million worth of confidential funds of the Vice President within 24 hours with cash deliveries in Laguna, Quezon City, and the Office of the Ombudsman
- Madriaga signing a bank waiver to prove that he has nothing to hide
- Madriaga alleging that the Vice President’s election campaign may have been financed by Pharmally which has been linked to anomalous government procurement
- the Commission on Audit (COA) revealing that the notice of disallowance on the P73 million confidential fund in 2022 was upheld by the COA commission proper
- The NBI representatives testifying on signatures in the acknowledgment receipts of recipients of confidential funds
- COA’s Gloria Camora, a lawyer of COA’s Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office, confirming that COA also issued three notices of disallowance on three releases of confidential funds for the OVP in 2023 worth P125 million each or P375 million in total
- the testimonies of various resource persons, regarding the “envelopes” and the questionable receipts, and other statements
- the Philippine Statistics Authority testifying that recipients of confidential funds, such as Mary Grace Piattos, Milky Secuya, and Kokoy Villamin do not have records in the country’s civil registry
- the Vice President not declaring any cash on hand or in bank under her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth from 2019 to 2024
- the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report flagging P6.7 billion worth of bank transactions of the Vice President and her husband, Manases Carpio, as covered and suspicious transactions from 2006 to 2025, with inflow standing at P4.425 billion and outflow at P1.55 billion
- the AMLC report revealed that there is a derogatory record for the Vice President and her husband
- the AMLC report showing that Vice President was the subject of suspicion in 27 confidential reports dated August 2, 2024 to January 29, 2026 due to suspected activities involving drug trafficking and related offenses, graft and corrupt practices, and malversation of public funds and property in connection with the House Quad Committee hearing on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, news reports alleging the involvement of the Vice President’s husband in the P6.4 billion shabu importation in 2017 and the news reports on the Vice President’s alleged misuse of confidential funds
- the AMLC report showing that her husband, Atty. Carpio, as subject of suspicion in 17 confidential reports from September 14, 2017 to April 25, 2025 due to suspected activities involving drug trafficking and related offenses, and malversation of public funds and property “in connection with the news reports on alleged his involvement in the PP6.4 billion shabu importation in 2017 and news articles in relation to his wife, VP Sara’s, alleged misuse of confidential/intelligence funds”
- the AMLC confirmation that at least 18 bank transactions linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her family members, as cited in the affidavit of former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, match records of covered and suspicious transaction reports
- the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) findings that the video of a press conference showing Vice President Duterte making a threat to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his family members in certain circumstances constitutes inciting to sedition and three counts of grave threat, among others.
