If he could have his way, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Tuesday said that he would want to remain in his post as he runs for reelection in the coming mid-term elections in May.
“If you will ask me, it can be that this no longer happens,” said Pimentel when questioned when does he intend to step down as the highest leader of the Upper Chamber.
“But we should not be too attached to the position if there is a change [in the Senate leadership] in sentiment, we follow the sentiment,” said Pimentel.
He added that he would agree to leave his current position before the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy so he can prepare for his reelection bid and the slate of PDP-Laban, being its president.
“I have to prepare for the slate of the party nationwide. So I am just busy with the filing of the COC of the entire party. I am busy nowadays on political matters.”
He also conceded about a possible change in the Senate leadership since he will seek a reelection.
At the same time, he warned of a leadership vacuum in the Senate once his term officially ends at 12 noon on June 30, 2019.
“My term as senator ends at 12 noon on June 30, 2019 so even if I get re-elected that doesn’t mean I bring the title of Senate President. Therefore at 12 noon on June 30, there is no Senate President if I’m still the Senate President at that time so I want to avoid that and that’s why I’m telling my colleagues,” he said.
And for that “legal reason alone,” Pimentel said that he was ready to give up his post, and assured the public that he was ready to give up his position anytime if his colleagues want it.
“Well there might be, possibility po lahat parati naman yun. We should always be ready,” said Pimentel who said he does not know when the change in the leadership will occur.
Earlier, it was reported that Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, being the longest-serving member of the Senate, would assume the post to be vacated by Pimentel.
The reports also said there was already an agreement about a smooth turnover between the two Senate leaders, but this was denied by Pimentel and Sotto, who said the issue should be decided by majority of their colleagues.
“I am saying that I can be replaced anytime. I’m willing to let go. There will be no hard feelings and I will also be a part of the majority,” Pimentel said.
Sotto said no two senators could agree to share a term because members of the chamber elect their leaders.
“Term-sharing is not an issue. Senate leaders serve at the pleasure of the senators,” he added
Pimentel likewise said they were supposed to hold a caucus Tuesday, but was deferred following the death of former Senate President Edgardo Angara.
Meanwhile, Senator Sonny Angara said the decision of the Philippine government to lift the deployment ban for “skilled” and “semi-skilled” Filipino workers bound for Kuwait is a step in the right direction toward normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries and ensuring full protection for OFWs in the Gulf nation.
Angara said the Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte deserves support for its effort to put in place more practical measures.
Angara said this would guarantee the safety and welfare of Filipinos working in Kuwait and the entire Middle East region.
“We hope that our government will remain steadfast in ensuring that the labor rights of all Filipinos working abroad, especially domestic workers, are upheld and protected at all times,” he said.
Senator Joel Villanueva, chairperson of the Senate committee on labor, employment, and human resources development, welcomed the partial lifting of the ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino.
“We welcome the lifting of the deployment ban and at the same time, we would want DOLE and POEA to report on the required training before the deployment of HSWs through TESDA’s NC-II Domestic Work certification,” said Villanueva.
“We would want to know whether this has been complied, how many recruitment agencies are complying, how many HSWs have been certified prior to deployment, and what are the problems encountered,” he added.
He emphasized that “domestic helpers”, which he prefers to call as “household service workers” (HSWs), are required to acquire TESDA certification prior to their deployment.
“We urge the DOLE and POEA to conscientiously pursue the upgrading of household service work as a profession with unique skills set and not slaves consistent with ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Work, which the country actively campaigned for to ensure the protection of our HSWs.”
“Our HSWs should already be armed with NC II certificates as professional service workers, and recruitment agencies should be required to deploy only certified HSWs,” Villanueva said.
In other issues, Senator Francis Pangilinan said the Benham Rise is uncontested territory.
since it belongs to the Philippines and no other country has been contesting its possession.
“Hindi inaagaw o inaarmasan ng China o ng kahit anong bansa ang Benham Rise. Teritoryo natin ito,” stresses Pangilinan, also the Liberal Party president.
Pangilinan said this is separate to other islands within the country’s exclusive economic zone, where China has deployed anti-air and anti-ship missiles and where foreign militarization on Philippine land and waters is happening.
Chinese missiles in Zamora Reef are about 13 nautical miles (about 24.05 kilometers or closer than the distance between Camp Aguinaldo and National Bilibid Prisons) away from Pag-asa Island, the largest Philippine-controlled island out of the nine features in Spratlys;
in Kagitingan Reef, about 103 nautical miles (about 190.55 kilometers or the distance between Malacanang and Manaoag Church); and in Panganiban Reef, about 117 nautical miles (about 216.45 kilometers or almost double the distance of the Bataan Death March).
On the western side of the country, Pangilinan said the country’s sovereignty is clearly ‘violated, our security is threatened, and leadership is badly needed.”
“It is in the West Philippine Sea, not in Benham Rise, where action is necessary and critical,” he said.