SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday dismissed rumors of a possible leadership in the Senate and said a loyalty check among senators is unnecessary amid criticisms of a lack of decorum of some senators during plenary sessions and committee hearings.
Zubiri said he is unaware where the gossip came from or when it started but said that coup talks typically float whenever Congress is on a long break, such as when Congress is on sine die adjournment.
Congress went on a seven-week break from June 3 up to July 23. The Second Regular Session will resume on July 24, when the Senate and the House of Representatives will convene to listen to the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos Jr.
“Kung ayaw na nila sa akin, they can replace me. I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues (If they do not want me anymore as their Senate president, they can replace me. I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues),” Zubiri said at the Kapihan sa Senado media forum.
He thanked the senators who have expressed their full trust and confidence on his leadership but said that “anything can happen.”
“If they want, so be it. Ako ay willing to be an ordinary senator (If they want [me out as SP], so be it. I am willing to be an ordinary senator,” he added.
Talks of a possible change of Senate leadership came following criticisms from former Senate leaders Franklin Drilon and Vicente Sotto III that plenary sessions have become “noisy” and that some members of the upper chamber lack proper decorum when conducting committee hearings and attending plenary discussions.
Both Drilon and Sotto have reminded incumbent senators of the age-old Senate tradition that senators should refrain from misbehaving during sessions and panel hearings.
Drilon has said that the misbehavior of some senators was an indication that Zubiri has supposedly lost control over the conduct of senators, hinting of the need to change the Senate’s top leaders.
Zubiri said he harbors no ill-feelings against Drilon and Sotto, saying he has taken their observations as advice from his “elder” brothers.
He said that while he has not been remiss in reminding senators to observe proper decorum during official functions, “this time, I will be more assertive.”
“Iba kasi ang leadership style namin. (But) I (have) instructed the Secretariat and the OSAA (Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms) that we must be mindful of the Rules. Kapag may maingay sa likod, I will suspend the session even if there’s a discussion. That will give them time to discuss, mag-usap kayo (We have different leadership styles. [But] I [have] instructed the Secretariat and the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms that we must be mindful of the Rules. If it is noisy at the back, I will suspend the session even if there is an ongoing plenary discussion. That will give them [senators] time to discuss, to talk to one another),” he said.
Zubiri admitted, though, that he felt uneasy when the reported talks on leadership change came out but his mindset was always to expect the worst.
“I’ve already gone through so many hardships, politically. If God says take a break, take a break. In 2025, I told my staff members not to expect that I am still the SP because there will be 12 new senators who will come in. In 2028, I will retire. Tama na (It’s enough), it’s about time to let the new guys come in,” Zubiri said.
