BBM Vlog on Feb. 1, 2026. Screen grabbed from Pres. Bongbong Marcos Jr’s video/Facebook.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly recognized Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian as the Senate’s leader during his Independence Day speech on Friday.
The acknowledgment marked Marcos’ clearest public signal yet on where Malacañang stood in the Senate leadership dispute.
At the start of his speech, Marcos greeted House Speaker Faustino Dy, members of the House of Representatives, and Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore.
Marcos then proceeded to acknowledge other officials present at the Independence Day rites.
The President and Gatchalian also shook hands during the flag-raising ceremony at Rizal Park.
The exchange came as Gatchalian continued to act as Senate president while Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano maintained that he remained the chamber’s rightful leader.
Malacañang had earlier insisted that it recognized Gatchalian as the current Senate leader and dismissed talk of a constitutional crisis.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the executive branch saw no constitutional crisis and recognized only the leadership of Acting Senate President Gatchalian.