Senate top brass see no leadership change
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Wed, 29 May 2019 13:55:47 +0000
Senate leaders brushed aside speculations of a leadership change with the upcoming assumption of returning and neophyte senators in just over a month following the May mid-term elections.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said yesterday he doubts that senators-elect will initiate his ouster amid the dispute between them and the incumbent senators over the committee chairmanships for the 18th Congress.
“Just because of one or two committees or one or two senators, there will be a shakeup of the leadership, I doubt it. It has never happened,” Sotto, who is long-time lawmaker, said.
Sotto confirmed that conflicts arose between some incumbent and incoming senators want to lead the same committees.
While the current Senate agreed to uphold their equity of the incumbent rule regarding these committees, incoming senators allegedly planned to organize and form their own bloc in the chamber when the 18th Congress arrives.
Reports said the planned bloc will also field a new Senate leader should they fail to get their preferred committees.
But Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said that as far as the incumbent senators are concerned, they all are supportive of Sotto as their chief.
Zubiri downplayed the supposed creation of a separate group of new and incumbent senators endorsed by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago. “That’s normal…It’s part of politics,” he said.
Sotto said he remains secure about his retention as Senate President in the 18th Congress, saying that he has the support of at least 15 senators in the majority bloc. (Vanne Terrazola)