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Celebs, personalities react to Senate leadership shakeup, dela Rosa arrest attempt

By Gideon Tinsay
Published May 12, 2026 1:42 pm Updated May 12, 2026 2:09 pm
Romnick Sarmenta / Facebook, @iamsuperbianca, @bela, @dorisbigornia / Instagram

Celebrities took to social media to express their sentiments on the quick Senate leadership change and the attempted arrest of a senator. 

The plenary session on May 11 unfolded like a late afternoon teleserye as Sen. Bato dela Rosa appeared in public for the first time since November 2025. Visibly emotional, he claimed he was barred from entering the hall by the National Bureau of Investigation. Not long after, a Senate coup d' etat ensued, with 13 senators voting in favor of a leadership change, effectively unseating then-Senate President Tito Sotto as Alan Peter-Cayetano took over.

Social media users have since shared their thoughts and reactions on Monday's events, including celebrities.

Host Bianca Gonzalez-Intal did not hold back from speaking for millions of Filipinos affected by the sudden political drama. 

"Ang gusto lang naman ng mga Pilipino ay mapagaan ang buhay, na ang buwis na kinakaltas sa araw araw at sa sweldo ay maibalik sa paraan ng serbisyong pampubliko," she said in an X post. "Ano bang kailangang mangyari para matupad 'yun, para magkaroon ng sistema't liderato na tunay na para sa tao?"

Veteran actor Romnick Sarmenta, meanwhile, did not mince words as he critiqued the public figures involved in the affair. 

"Sukdulan [ang] [pagkawalang hiya] ninyo. Para ituring itong isang laro ng kapangyarihan at kampihan. Para [isantabi] ang kabutihan at kaayusan ng kapwa at mamamayan. Sukdulan ang [pagkaganid] ninyo. Sukdulan ang kasamaan. Wala kayong pagmamahal sa bayan," he wrote.

Sang'gre actress Gabbi Garcia seemed dumbfounded by the recent developments. "What a day for the Philippines," she said with a clown emoji.

Actress-director Bela Padilla had more questions than answers on the recent political shakeup, particularly, dela Rosa's return.

"Who gave that man the right to shout at a woman CALMLY asking him questions that are valid. 'Senator bakit ka nandito?' Yes, we'd like to know... Ikaw nga nagsabi na sumusweldo ka. So nasan ka recently?" Padilla wrote.

"Is there no citation for being gone for so long? I was in the ER the other day but I still rushed to work immediately after. And I'm not even important. Aren't senators important? Don't their decisions affect millions of lives?"

Meanwhile, Bea Binene simply wished the country well in her reaction on X, "Omy. God bless the Philippines."

Singer-actress Julie Ann San Jose simply tweeted three clown emojis, hinting at what she perceived as a political circus.

Lastly, news presenter Doris Bigornia, wrote, "PILIPINAS," with a sad emoji.

Mocha Uson, a vocal supporter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, cheered on dela Rosa in Facebook posts.

"LABAN BATO!" she wrote.

She also thanked the Senate for placing dela Rosa under protection. "Hindi dapat ipinagkakanulo sa dayuhan ang PILIPINO," she said.

Meanwhile, Duterte's former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque called the Senate leadership "good news for the country."

"Ang pagpalit po ng liderato sa Senado na kinakailangan ng boto ni Senator Bato dela Rosa ang dahilan kung bakit si Senator Bato ay lumutang," he added in another post.

Senate shakeup

On May 11, dela Rosa made a striking return to the Senate after being absent from sessions for six months. Not long after, Sen. Joel Villanueva then moved to declare all positions of the Senate leadership vacant. A roll-call vote subsequently took place, with 13 senators voting in favor of the motion, shaking up the leadership.

Lawmakers who voted in the affirmative include Cayetano and his sister Pia, as well as dela Rosa, Chiz Escudero, Imee Marcos, Rodante Marcoleta, Joel Villanueva, Bong Go, Robin Padilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark and Camille Villar, and Loren Legarda. 
 
 
JV Ejercito and Migz Zubiri, meanwhile, abstained from voting.

Cayetano was then nominated for the position. In a second vote, he managed to secure 13 votes against nine, making him the new Senate President.

Also during the session, dela Rosa sought to remove former senator Antonio Trillanes and members of the NBI from the Senate Hall as Trillanes came with the NBI to facilitate dela Rosa's arrest. Trillanes also showed reporters an alleged copy of the International Criminal Court warrant against dela Rosa.

Later, the Senate released CCTV footage showing dela Rosa running from members of the NBI in the hallways of the building.

The NBI personnel who chased after dela Rosa have been held in contempt, with the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms directed to put them under Senate custody.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, has been put under Senate protective custody with the premises on lockdown.

Earlier on Monday, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police issued a subpoena to dela Rosa, ordering him to face investigators on May 14 over his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in the country. 

On the same day, the International Criminal Court confirmed that there was a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa.

The ICC Pre-trial Chamber I found reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa, as former Davao City Police Director and subsequently chief of the Philippine National Police, is responsible for the crime against humanity of murder involving alleged victims in Duterte's drug war. 

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TAGS: Celebrities alan peter cayetano BATO DELA ROSA SENATE tito sotto ronald dela rosa senate president

About the author

Gideon Tinsay

James Gideon Tinsay is a news producer by profession but a storyteller by heart. By day, he serves facts and features. After hours, he seeks value and meaning. When screens go dark, he turns inward, reflecting on his self, what makes the world go round, or how a Supreme Being sees everything from above.