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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lacson vows reso, vouches for Sotto

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Amid talk of a change in the Senate leadership, Senator Panfilo Lacson said he would introduce a resolution Monday expressing confidence in Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Lacson said the resolution seeks to determine which senators want to retain Sotto as Senate president in the new Congress, as originally proposed by Senator Manny Pacquiao.

“The resolution to be routed is about a vote of confidence in the leadership of [the Senate president]. I drafted the resolution. We want to know who among our colleagues have doubts. I have a draft resolution which was undated so the new senators can also sign,” Lacson said.

“Of course this is a draft resolution so it can still be changed before July 22 or during the opening ng 18th Congress. At least, we will know those doubting the leadership of SP Sotto. Because when we

were talking, we were one in saying that we are all happy [with] his [Sotto] leadership.”

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Lacson also cited the increase in the trust and approval ratings of the Senate under Sotto.

“We have no basis to change the leadership,” 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 granted,” he said.

He said based on the declarations of the senators, Sotto has a sufficient number of supporters to constitute a majority.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said the last time he talked to Senator Cynthia Villar, she was not interested in the position.

He added that he would sign the manifesto of support for Sotto.

But Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said it was too early to have a vote of confidence.

He urged his colleagues to “relax” and said the newly elected members of the Senate should be able “to freely explore how it is to be a senator in Philippines.”

A senator needs at least 13 votes to sit as Senate president.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, urged the new senators to listen to the incumbents who already have experience. The Senate, he added, respects seniority.

Lacson questioned the motives of Senators-elect Imee Marcos and Francis Tolentino for suggesting a leadership change.

He said this could mean they were just posturing for chairmanship of certain committees.

Tolentino, for example, was said to be interested in the Blue Ribbon committee headed by Senator Richard Gordon. Gordon, however, citing the “equity of the incumbent,” said he would not let the committee go.

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