Cayetano’s Return to Power Rekindles Debate Over Past Leadership Controversies

The dramatic return of Ronald dela Rosa to the Senate after more than six months of absence amid an alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant has become one of the key developments surrounding the rise of Alan Peter Cayetano as the new Senate president.

Dela Rosa resurfaced at the Senate on May 11 after reportedly going into hiding following reports that the ICC had issued a warrant against him over his alleged role in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

His sudden appearance coincided with the Senate leadership shake-up that removed Senate President Vicente Sotto IIIand installed Cayetano as the chamber’s new leader.

Political observers noted that Dela Rosa’s return was significant because his vote helped secure Cayetano’s victory during the Senate leadership battle. Critics and opposition figures argued that the new Senate alignment could benefit Duterte allies, particularly with the looming impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte and the ICC case involving Dela Rosa.

Following the leadership takeover, Dela Rosa was placed under Senate “protective custody” after agents from the National Bureau of Investigation allegedly attempted to serve legal documents against him inside the Senate complex.

The ICC later confirmed that an arrest warrant had indeed been issued against Dela Rosa in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.

Cayetano’s assumption of the Senate presidency also revived discussions about his controversial leadership style during his tenure as House Speaker from 2019 to 2020.

His speakership was marked by intense political infighting, controversial legislative battles, and a leadership dispute that eventually led to his removal from power.

Cayetano assumed the House speakership in July 2019 under a term-sharing agreement brokered during the Duterte administration. Under the arrangement, he would serve as speaker for 15 months before turning over the post to Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.

However, tensions escalated as the agreed turnover date approached in 2020, triggering one of the biggest leadership crises in the House in recent years.

The political conflict disrupted deliberations on the proposed 2021 national budget after sessions were suspended amid accusations that Cayetano’s allies were trying to extend his term as speaker.

The dispute culminated in October 2020 when Velasco and allied lawmakers held a separate session at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City, where a majority of lawmakers voted to remove Cayetano and install Velasco as the new speaker.

Cayetano questioned the legality of the move but eventually stepped down after Duterte called on lawmakers to resolve the dispute and pass the national budget.

His leadership also coincided with one of the most controversial congressional decisions in recent history the denial of the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN in July 2020, which led to the shutdown of the network’s free-to-air operations.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the House under Cayetano also passed key emergency measures, including the Bayanihan laws aimed at addressing the public health crisis and economic fallout.

The latest Senate reorganization may have major implications for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, as well as efforts to shield Duterte allies from mounting legal and political pressure.