[UPDATED: 4:15 pm]
The Philippine Senate has declared all leadership positions vacant, ousting Senator Vicente Sotto III from its presidency.
On the day that the House of Representatives meets to vote on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, her allies have successfully moved to remove Sotto and allies from the leadership who are seen as pro-impeachment.
With a vote of 13 in favor of leadership change, 10 votes against and one abstention, Sotto was forced to declare all positions in the Chamber vacant.
Long-absent Senator Ronald de la Rosa also made a surprise appearance after months of absence for fear of arrest by virtue of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court. He had been named as co-conspirator in the crimes against humanity charges against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
De La Rosa later complained that agents of the National Bureau of Investigation physically prevented himself from making an appearance at the Senate, saying the scuffle caused injuries on his left hand. He demanded that the Senate arrest his alleged attackers.
A few minutes later, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano had been elected as new Senate President. As of 4PM, Senator Loren Legarda had been voted as new Majority Floor Leader Pro-Tempore.
This is a developing story.
