If the election for the Senate presidency had been held yesterday, Sen. Joel Villanueva said that Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero would still be the upper chamber’s leader for the 20th Congress.
Villanueva said Escudero enjoys the support of the majority of senators of the 20th Congress whom he has talked to two to three weeks ago, but said that everything is not yet final as anything can still happen when they vote on the Senate leadership on July 28, when the regular sessions of the new Congress start.
“If the election is held today, I think your information is as good as mine, that Senate President Chiz Escudero will be retained as our Senate president,” he said in a press conference.
He said Escudero is supported by at least 13 senators, including him, which will be enough for Escudero to be retained as the Senate leader.
A senator needs the votes of at least 13 of the 24 senators for him or her to become Senate president.
Villanueva said his colleagues like how Escudero works, the reason why the majority of them support the incumbent Senate president.
However, he did not identify the senators who are rooting for Escudero, but admitted that he is one of them.
“I am confident because I’ve talked to at least a majority of the senators. I can say that, but of course, every day is another day. I really cannot tell if they will change their minds,” he said.
Villanueva denied notions that chairmanships for the various committees have been offered to get the support for Escudero.
When asked if he would take back his old post as Senate majority leader, he said it is up to the members if they want him there.
“I cannot say that only the members of the majority can elect the majority leader and other positions,” he added.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that it would be “realistic” if she belonged to the “independent” bloc by looking at the possible composition of the majority and minority blocs of the Senate this 20th Congress.
She said that she will not join the majority bloc and will stick to being a minority, or when the need arises, become a member of the independent bloc.
“I will not join the majority. I haven’t been part of the majority in almost nine years. And I think that is consistent with being a member of the minority, or either remain as a minority or form an independent bloc,” she said.
She said she considered running as Senate president since not being elected to the post would automatically land her as the minority leader.
She said that talks between her and Senators Francis Pangilinan and Paolo Benigno Aquino are still ongoing about whether the two returning senators will join her.
