Manila: Senate President Vicente Sotto III clarified Friday the reassignment of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations followed institutional norms, noting that the panel was previously chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos before recently transferred to Sen. Erwin Tulfo, a member of the Senate majority. 'Ang malalaking komite, dapat nasa majority (Major committees like foreign relations should be chaired by a member of the majority),' Sotto said in a virtual briefing.

According to Philippines News Agency, Sotto said the leadership initially left the committee under Marcos' chairship in the hope of broader alignment, but later decided to reassign it due to pressing legislative concerns. 'May mga important treaties at agreements na naka-pending doon na malaki ang concern ng mga members of majority (There are important treaties and agreements pending there that are of major concern to the members of the majority),' he said.

He said the move was not driven by personal considerations or individual policy positions. 'I can only speak for myself. sa akin hindi. Nothing to do with that (For me, it had nothing to do with that),' he said. Sotto added that the Senate leadership remains open to cooperation across blocs, but emphasized that committee leadership must ensure efficiency in handling sensitive and time-bound foreign policy matters.