Senators on Monday rallied behind Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri as they denied claims that there would be a change in leadership in the Senate.

In a chance interview, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda affirmed that Zubiri still enjoys the trust of his colleagues in the upper chamber.

“There is no leadership change, as far as I know. We have our full support behind the leadership of SP Miguel Zubiri,” Legarda said.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva likewise said members of the supermajority are still supporting Zubiri, who has been leading the 24-member chamber since July 2022.

“We would say, as far as I am concerned and as far as the members of the majority we have talked to over the past 24 hours, we are solidly behind our inspirational leader, Sen. Migz Zubiri,” Villanueva said.

At this time, he noted that “nobody is more deserving” to lead the Senate than Zubiri.

For his part, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito suspected that the rumored coup may have something to do with the People’s Initiative, which caused a rift among members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

“Maybe it was a divide and conquer strategy from the House of Representatives due to the PI,” Ejercito said.

He stressed that the majority of their colleagues have “full trust and confidence” in the leadership of Zubiri.

“He has stood his ground and has fought for the institution and his principles,” he said.

Senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay also echoed their support for Zubiri, labeling the rumored coup as “intrigue.”

“Absolutely untrue. We trust the leadership of Sen Zubiri,” Poe said.

“It was just an intrigue,” Binay said.

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos said she was unaware of the rumored plan to unseat Zubiri.

“I don’t know; I am too busy. I have been roaming around; if not for the AICS or provinces, I was focusing on the hearings. I have not heard anything,” Marcos said in a chance interview.

“In reality, nobody wants to be the Senate President. It was a tough job. He was always stuck in the middle,” she added.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said the same thing, noting that such a plan, if ever true, would not succeed.

“I don’t know of any. I was not approached. If ever there is, I don’t think it will succeed. I think it's just intrigue coming from outside of the Senate,” he said.

‘Concerted effort’

Zubiri, for his part, said he would continue to serve as the leader of the Senate at the pleasure of his colleagues.

“I am extremely honored to serve at the pleasure of my colleagues. It is just like that. I leave it to the wisdom of my majority,” he said.

Asked where the call for a change in the Senate leadership came from, Zubiri stated that he had been informed about the purported coup since last week.

“You know there is a concerted effort to discredit the Senate. I learned about it since last week. For us, it is just a job. We will just focus on the job at hand, and we'll not lose sight of the most important things to help the Filipino people,” he said.

He did not elaborate on the details as to where the coup came from and how he learned about it.

Over the past month, members of both Houses engaged in heated verbal exchanges regarding the PI which was allegedly carried out by the lower chamber.

Zubiri, however, last week, announced that he and Speaker Martin Romualdez agreed to end the rift between the two Houses on the PI.

The two House leaders made the agreement during the 100th birthday of celebration of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile at the Malacañang Palace.