President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos hosted an intimate dinner with the senators and their spouses a day after newly elected Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero replaced Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri from the chamber's top post.
Based on the photo posted on the First Lady's Facebook and Instagram on Wednesday, the First Couple had their gathering at Bahay Pangulo in Malacañang Compound, Manila last 21 May.
"(I) had a nice time breaking bread with the Senators and their spouses," she wrote on Instragram, accompanied by a photo of the event.
"Casual dinner with the Senators (and) their spouses," the First Lady also wrote on a separate Facebook post.
Senators Robin Padilla, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Tolentino, Raffy Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Mark Villar, Jinggoy Estrada, Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Loren Legarda, and Pia Cayetano joined Escudero and the Marcoses during the dinner.
Among those present, only Gatchalian and Legarda did not support the ousting of former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.
In a separate press briefing in the Senate, Escudero said he did not receive any directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during their dinner at Malacañang Palace.
He added that the dinner, which had been scheduled before the leadership change in the Senate, was purely for "socializing" purposes.
Earlier, Escudero acknowledged that he was the one who initiated the move to oust Zubiri. In separate interviews, the senators who voted for Escudero denied that Malacañang was involved in the ouster.
Marcos has expressed his support for Escudero, praising his track record as a public servant.