PDP-LABAN President Aquilino Pimentel III enjoys the support of a “Super Majority” of 20 senators in his bid for the Senate presidency, Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday.
On his Twitter account, Lacson said preparations were under way for the 17th Congress, with current Senate President Franklin Drilon sliding down to the post of Senate President Pro-Tempore post and Senator Vicente Sotto III becoming the Majority Leader.
Drilon, however, said he had no knowledge of the circumstances behind Lacson’s statement. But he said being Senate President Pro-Tempore and Minority Leader were among his options.
“No knowledge of circumstances behind Ping’s statement,” Drilon said in a text message.
“When, and only when, the SP candidate has 13 votes, then the pro temp post becomes one of the options. Being the Minority Leader is another option. Without anyone with 13 votes, I remain SP.”
But Pimentel III will likely find it difficult to hurdle the race for the Senate presidency as he is all by himself.
“How can he be the Senate president when is just one?” asked a source who refused to be identified.
The source also said with the way things were going, it was impossible for Pimentel to muster the 13 votes needed to clinch the post from Drilon.
Drilon, who was Senate president for four terms, says he will yield the leadership of the Senate to anybody who can present to him the needed 13 votes.
Pressed if Cayetano would give way to Pimentel, being a top official of the PDP-Laban that is led by incoming President Rodrigo Duterte, the source said this was another impossibility.
The source said Cayetano, who claims 15 senators are supporting his bid for the Senate presidency, would not buckle down before assuming a Cabinet position. He said Cayetano, Duterte’s defeated running mate, was hell bent on becoming the next Senate president.
“Senator Alan will not give way to Senator Koko. That’s impossible,” the source said.
As president of the party, Pimentel said, he will aspire to be Senate President so that the agenda of the party and the President can be shepherded through the Senate.
“Senator Alan Cayetano and I belong to one group, and this is the group which supported the candidacy of President Duterte. Hence we will possibly engage in a friendly competition for the commitments of our colleagues and in the end, we will have to work together,” he said.