MANILA, Philippines (Updated 10:36 a.m.) — The Senate on Monday opened its session for the 18th Congress, with Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III again being elected to lead the upper chamber. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, whose small minority bloc did not sign the resolution of support for Sotto, said the Senate president had "led the Senate well." He is president of the Senate and not just of the majority and he listens to everyone," Drilon, a former Senate president himself, said in June. "Nobody will listen to a neophyte senator who will call to replace Senate President Sotto. If they say that they will talk to the senior senators to replace Sotto, unless Senate President Sotto committed a mortal sin, they won't follow the neophyte," Drilon also said.

Source: Philippine Star July 22, 2019 02:26 UTC