Tito Sotto takes oath as senator

Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (right) — Photo from an INQUIRER.net live video

MANILA, Philippines — Vicente “Tito” Sotto III took his oath as senator of the 20th Congress on Monday, June 30.

He was sworn in by Commission on Elections Commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr. at the old Senate building in the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila.

Sotto will serve his fifth six-year term as senator after placing eighth in the 2025 midterm elections with a total of 14,832,996 votes. He previously served as Senate president and sought public office in 2022 as a vice-presidential candidate, but lost.

In his proclamation speech on May 17, Sotto said he would “exercise oversight on existing laws to ensure [they are] properly implemented,” and ensure “that the budget of the government is used correctly.”

READ: Tito Sotto says 4 peers urging his return as Senate president

Sotto previously revealed that at least four incumbent senators had urged him to return to the highest post in the upper chamber when the 20th Congress opens in July. He served as Senate president for four and a half years during the Duterte administration.

However, he said he would not be “the type who would go around to collect signatures of my colleagues to get their support.”

Referring to the four senators who urged him to seek the Senate leadership, he said he would accept the role if a total of 13 senators pledged their support.

READ: Sotto: Senate impeachment court’s remand order ‘flawed’

Sotto also previously stated that there is no such thing as an independent bloc in the Senate, as a senator can only belong to either the majority or minority bloc. This came after several senators announced plans to form specific blocs within the 20th Congress./mcm