MANILA, Philippines — Presumptive Senator Francis Tolentino is choosing two from six committees in the Senate as the race for chairmanships tightens.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, president of the ruling PDP-Laban, disclosed this when asked what committees would go to partymates who would be part of the new Senate in July.
Aside from Pimentel, three PDP members are in the winning circle based on the partial and official tally of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
These are Tolentino, Bong Go, and Ronald Dela Rosa, who will join Pimentel and another partymate, incumbent Senator Manny Pacquiao, in the Senate when the new Congress opens in July.
Pimentel said Dela Rosa would get the Senate committee on public order after its chair, Senator Panfilo Lacson, decides to relinquish it to the incoming senator.
Go, on the other hand, has expressed interest to lead the committee on health, which is currently being headed by Senator JV Ejercito, who was outside the winning circle.
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“Si Tolentino ang hindi pa clear kasi (It’s not clear yet for Tolentino because) he’s a multidimensional person. He’s a lawyer, [he has a] masters in [public] international [law], he is a reserved military officer,” Pimentel said.
Pressed further, Pimentel said Tolentino had expressed interest in six committees.
“Ang narinig ko kay Tolentino, six na committees kaya sabi ko gusto mo yata lahat sa ‘yo e (What I heard from Tolentino is that he is interested in six committees. I said I guess you wanted everything),” he said.
But Pimentel quickly clarified that Tolentino would only choose two from the six committees.
For his part, Pimentel said, he would keep his chairmanship of the committee on trade and would let go of the committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation.
“Iba naman, give chance to others pero kung walang kumuha at ibalik sa akin e come back to Papa (Let’s give others a chance, but if nobody takes them, then it’s back to me. Back to Papa),” he said of the electoral forms panel. (Editor: Eden Estopace)