Lacson drafts resolution on Sotto ‘vote of confidence’ as threat to leadership looms
Credit to Author: BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO| Date: Fri, 31 May 2019 04:33:38 +0000
SENATORS-elect Francis Tolentino and Maria Imelda Josefa Imee Marcos must convince 11 incumbent and fellow incoming senators to replace Sen. Vicente Sotto 3rd as Senate president in the 18th Congress.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson stressed this on Friday as he authored – with the help of Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao – a resolution expressing “a vote of confidence” in Sotto’s leadership.
“Actually the idea was originally proposed by Sen. Manny Pacquiao,” Lacson said in a text message.
The 17th Congress adjourns on June 7. The Senate and the House of Representatives will jointly open as 18th Congress on July 22 to coincide with the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte.
There are unconfirmed reports that some of the incoming senators want reelected Sen. Cynthia Villar to replace Sotto. Villar, however, said she was not interested in the position.
“The resolution to be routed is about a vote of confidence in the leadership of SP (Senate President) Sotto amid insinuations made by Senators-elect Marcos and Tolentino for a leadership change for whatever motives they have – whether it’s posturing to get their desired committee chairmanships or serious attempts to elect a new Senate leader,” Lacson said.
“It is quite simple though. All the two incoming members of the Senate have to do is convince 11 more senators of the incoming 18th Congress to side with them and their wish is automatically gathered,” he said.
Lacson added, “If we will base it on the expression of support to the leadership of SP Sotto either through media or among ourselves, a sufficient number to compose the majority is there, unless what we are hearing is lip service.”
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the opposition bloc has nothing to do with the selection of the Senate president. “The choice of Senate president was in the hands of the majority [bloc]. That’s why we don’t meddle in the election of the Senate president.”
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