Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto III bangs the gavel to formally open the third regular session of the Senate on July 23, 2018. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Hounded by talks of a possible change in Senate leadership, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III insisted Tuesday that he has the support of at least 16 senators.
A simple majority of 24 senators is needed to elect a new Senate President.
“I have the support of at least fifteen or sixteen,” Sotto said when asked about the supposed new “HnP” bloc composed of nine members in the Senate.
He reiterated that the Senate presidency “is always at the pleasure of the members of the majority.”
“Whoever he is, should be supported by the majority,” Sotto added.
READ: Senators agree to keep Sotto as Senate President
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, meanwhile, counted 12 incumbent senators, who are still supportive of Sotto’s leadership.
“As of now, there are 12 incumbent senators, who are supporting the Senate presidency. That’s 12. That’s a major bloc,” Zubiri said in a separate interview.
“I don’t think there’s a problem with the Senate presidency…” he also said.
Zubiri specifically said the 12 senators supporting Sotto are: six from so-called “seatmates” bloc; four from the so-called “macho” bloc, plus Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senator Cynthia Villar.
The six “seatmates” are Zubiri, Senators Richard Gordon, Sonny Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, and Joel Villanueva.
The four “macho” bloc are Sotto, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, and Grace Poe.
Zubiri said the HnP or the Hugpong ng Pagbabago bloc might have counted Villar, who ran under its banner during the May 13 midterm elections.
But the Majority Leader said, “I don’t think Sen. Villar will leave the group that she’s in now and we’re counting 11.”
“We had a meeting yesterday, there’s 11 plus Senator Villar, 12, that is fully supportive of the Senate President,” Zubiri said.
HnP bloc is reportedly composed of five PDP-Laban members, namely: Senators Manny Pacquiao, Ronaldo “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong’ Go, Francis Tolentino, and Koko Pimentel III; and four from Nacionalista Party led by Villar, Recto, and Senators Pia Cayetano and Imee Marcos.
Zubiri said HnP might be organizing for committee chairmanships.
“I think it’s a battle between committees,” he pointed out. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)