Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel stressed that the minority bloc in the Senate is “hands off” from majority matters.
Aside from Pimentel, the other opposition lawmaker in the Senate is Sen. Risa Hontiveros. He also said there will only be a change in the Senate leadership if someone is interested in the top position.
“As far as I know, there’s no one interested,” stressed Pimentel on the alleged actions to oust Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri when the 2nd Regular Session of the 19th Congress opens on July 24.
Senators Win Gatchalian and Grace Poe stressed that there are no talks to unseat Zubiri. “There’s no such thing. The members are very satisfied with the leadership of SP Zubiri,” said Gatchalian.
He noted that they have accomplished a lot under his guidance. Poe described Zubiri an effective and consensus-building leader.
She said many priority and crucial measures of this administration were passed by the Senate in a timely manner, without sacrificing the quality of every measure.
“There are no talks to replace Senator Zubiri and we strongly support him,” she said.
She quoted Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda who said, “Why fix something that’s not broken?”
According to the rumors which spread anew as the opening Congress draws near, either Legarda or Sen. Jinggoy Estrada will replace Zubiri following a coup to overthrow him.
Both Legarda and Estrada strongly denied this which they branded as mere “gossip.”