The Philippine Senate is the country's 24-member upper house, shaping laws, oversight, and policy through investigations and confirmations.
The anti‑graft Ombudsman has indicted Senator Jinggoy Estrada for plunder and related corruption over kickbacks totaling 573 million pesos from flood‑control projects. Estrada has been jailed before but has posted bail in related cases and remains active in politics as prosecutors press a second charge.
The Philippines’ Senate has shifted leadership ahead of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, with Sherwin Gatchalian securing the presidency of the chamber after a bloc allied with him gains a majority. The move follows months of intra-chamber discord tied to broader clashes between Duterte and Marcos and potential ICC actions.