FACT CHECK: Old photo of Cayetano used to falsely claim he’s the new Senate president

Claim: Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is the new Senate president, replacing Senator Tito Sotto. 

Rating: FALSE 

Why we fact-checked this: The post bearing the claim has already received 14,400 reactions, 4,300 comments, and 584 shares as of writing. It was posted on April 4 amid the ongoing House justice committee proceedings on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment. 

The post shows a composite photo of Sotto, Cayetano, Duterte, Bicol Saro Representative Terry Ridon, Batangas 2nd District Representative and House justice committee Chair Gerville Luistro, and Senate blue ribbon committee chair Ping Lacson. 

It also shows a photo of Cayetano wearing a judicial robe while seemingly being sworn in. 

The text on the photo reads, “Game over na! Senado solid Sara na! Cayetano nanumpa na!” 

(Game over! The Senate turns into solid Sara supporters! Cayetano has been sworn in!)

The facts: Sotto remains the Senate president, based on the official website of the Philippine Senate. He replaced Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on September 8, 2025, after the latter was ousted amid the flood control scandal. Meanwhile, Cayetano remains the current Senate Minority Leader. 

A reverse image search shows that the photo of Cayetano used in the post was originally taken in September 2025 by Philippine Star photojournalist Jesse Bustos. It shows Cayetano taking his oath as a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, which is responsible for resolving electoral protests involving senators. 

In February 2026, Sotto confirmed a recent attempt to unseat him and replace him with Senator Loren Legarda. Sotto credited the majority bloc for successfully thwarting the ouster attempt. (READ: ​​Sotto bloc foils Senate coup but ‘power-sharing’ eyed in ‘near future’)

Impeachment: The claim circulated amid the ongoing House justice committee hearing into the renewed impeachment drive against Duterte. 

It can be recalled that during the first impeachment drive against Duterte in 2025, Cayetano had suggested returning the impeachment complaint to the House, supposedly to allow the lower chamber to address alleged constitutional infirmities in the complaint.

The suggestion earned support from Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, a long-time Duterte ally, who originally wanted to dismiss the impeachment case. 

In August 2025, after the Supreme Court’s July 2025 decision barring Duterte’s impeachment, Cayetano was among the senators who voted in favor of archiving the impeachment articles. Cayetano explained that “archival” means that the impeachment case is dead unless the Supreme Court revives it by reversing its ruling.

New impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte in February 2026. 

Previous fact-checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar claims about the Senate presidency: 

• FACT CHECK: Sotto not ousted as Senate president 
• FACT CHECK: Tito Sotto still Senate president, not replaced by Alan Peter Cayetano 
• FACT CHECK: No SC ruling yet on indirect contempt case against Sotto 

– Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com 

Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a student journalist based in Naga City, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 

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