Gatchalian says Alan Cayetano yet to greet  him after Senate revamp

Sherwin Gatchalian (left) and Alan Peter Cayetano. INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Not even a simple “Like” on Facebook?

Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian on Friday said the colleague he recently replaced in the chamber’s top position, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, had yet to congratulate him personally following the leadership change earlier this week.

READ: No personal congratulatory gesture yet from Cayetano, says Gatchalian

According to Gatchalian, many of their peers, including those from the new minority bloc, had already reached out to him after he was formally elected to the position during the special session on June 17.

Asked during an interview on dzMM whether his predecessor had already greeted him, he said: “Particularly Senator Cayetano, not yet.”

Gatchalian was quick to clarify, however, that “I don’t keep count, I don’t have a checklist of who congratulated me and who didn’t.”

The Senate leader said he remained open to a dialogue with Cayetano: “My doors and my heart are always open. My door and my office are open to everyone.’’

Early concession

Prior to the actual vote, Cayetano already conceded in a Facebook post that he no longer had the numbers to keep his post, and extended his congratulations to whoever the Senate chamber would elect as its next president.

Cayetano did not attend the special session where he was still elected as the new minority leader, according to a manifestation made by Sen. Loren Legarda. He instead continued to use social media to comment on his recent ouster.

As to Cayetano’s preferred platform of late, Gatchalian said: “Well, everyone has their own way of communicating. People have different styles and different ways of doing things, depending on what they are comfortable with and what they believe is most effective.”