By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
The relationship between Malacañang and the Senate will not change under the possible leadership of Sen. Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III as Senate President.
Thus said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque following reports that 15 senators are now in favor of the draft resolution electing Sotto as the new Senate President vice Sen. Koko Pimentel.
Roque said that Malacañang respects the Senate’s decision to choose their own leader and will respect whoever they chose to elect.
“Nirerespeto naman po namin ang karapatan ng mga Senador na pumili ng kanilang pinuno. Hindi po nanghihimasok ang Presidente at ang Palasyo diyan sa proseso ng pagpili ng bagong Senate President,” he said.
The Palace official is confident that the relationship between Malacañang and the Senate will remain the same even when Sotto takes over the Senate.
“Ako naman po ay naniniwala, at naniniwala po ang Palasyo na kahit sino pong mahalal na Senate President, at ang balita po ay si Sen. Tito Sotto, eh napakalapit din pong alyado ni Sen. Tito Sotto,” Roque said.
“Wala pong magbabago sa malapit na samahan at sa kooperasyon na ngayon po ay mayroon sa panig ng Senado at ng Malacañang,” he added.
Fourteen senators have signed the manifesto expressing the sense of the Senate to reorganize its leadership and elect Sotto as the new Senate President.
They are Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Chiz Escudero, Sherwin Gatchalian, Richard Gordon, Gringo Honasan, Ping Lacson, Loren Legarda, Manny Pacquiao, Ralph Recto, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, and Migz Zubiri.
Pimentel was elected Senate President at the start of the 17th Congress. Pimentel is also the president of the ruling party PDP-Laban.
He had said that he is prepared to step down as Senate President to concentrate on his reelection bid in the upcoming 2019 polls.
