Senator Pia Cayetano was elected on Wednesday as chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee, returning to the helm of the chamber’s powerful investigative panel under the reorganized Senate leadership.
Cayetano, who made history in 2024 as the first woman to chair the Blue Ribbon Committee, replaced Senator Panfilo Lacson after acting Majority Leader Joel Villanueva moved for her election during a plenary session.
Her brother, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, declared her elected after no objection was raised on the floor.
The Blue Ribbon Committee is mandated to investigate alleged anomalies, misconduct, and accountability issues involving public officers and government agencies.
The election came after an earlier round of committee changes, including the election of Senator Mark Villar as chairperson of the Committee on Finance, replacing Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
Also elected earlier were Senator Loren Legarda as chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education; Senator Bong Go as chairperson of the Committee on Health and Demography; Senator Jinggoy Estrada as chairperson of the Committee on Games and Amusement, and Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation; Senator Rodante Marcoleta as chairperson of the Committee on Public Services; and Villanueva as chairperson of the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education.
After Pia Cayetano, the Senate also reelected Senator Imee Marcos as chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations, replacing Senator Erwin Tulfo; Senator Robinhood Padilla as chairperson of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes; and Senator Camille Villar as chairperson of the Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, replacing her brother, Mark Villar.
Camille Villar was retained as chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
The committee reshuffle followed the declaration of vacancies in several chairships on May 11 and the subsequent election of new panel heads under the Cayetano-led Senate. (PNA)