If there will be no defections of “political butterflies” to the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP-Laban), the current party of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte, the Liberal Party will keep its hold on the Senate under the coming 17th Congress, according to analysts.
With three LP members making it to the “Magic 12” and another member set to graduate in June 2016, the current ruling party has the most number of senators at six.
Based on this number, LP will still dominate in the upper chamber. A likely addition to LP is Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, who campaigned under its wing to win a Senate seat.
PDP-Laban has only one member in the Senate—its president, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
If former Justice Secretary Leila De Lima will not be dislodged from the No. 12 spot, there will be six LP members in the coming Congress.
Erstwhile Tesda Director-General Joel Villanueva and partymate Senator Franklin Drilon, a reelectionist, were already assured of seats in the Senate.
Another LP member in the Senate is President Noynoy Aquino’s cousin Bam Aquino who got elected in the 2013 mid-term elections.
Comebacking Senator Francis Pangilinan maintained his No. 9 standing based on latest partial and unofficial count of the Commission on Elections.
While there are three incumbent LP senators, the party will lose two of its members, Teofisto Guingona who failed to make it to the “Winning Circle,” and “graduating” Senator Lito Lapid.
With world boxing champ Manny Pacquiao winning a Senate seat, there will now be five members of the oppositionist United Nationalist Alliance.
The other Minority Bloc members are Senators Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Gringo Honasan and Jinggoy Estrada who has remained detained at the PNP Custodian Center in Camp Crame over the pork barrel scam.
Honasan returns to the Senate after losing in the vice presidential race. He ran along with Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Three returning senators– Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon and Migz Zubiri would add to the remaining two independent Senate members– Grace Poe and Chiz Escuder, who lost their bid for presidential and vice presidential slots.
Another independent re-electionist Senator Serge Osmena will likely miss the Magic 12 of the Senate.
Since Senator Bongbong Marcos, who remains in a tight race with Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo for the country’s second highest elective post, is graduating, only three senators are left with the Nacionalista Party. They are Senators Cynthia Villar, Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano.
The incoming Congress will now have three Nationalist People’s Coalition members in the Senate after Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian hurdled the senatorial race. The two others are Senator Loren Legarda and re-electionist Vicente Sotto who has a firm hold on the No. 3 spot.
