Senators asked to list preferred committees – Zubiri

Look who came to dinner: Most of the senators of the incoming 18th Congress — old, new, and returning — went to the Makati residence of Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, amid reports of tension in the upper chamber. (Photo posted on Pacquiao’s Twitter account)

MANILA, Philippines — The senators who attended the dinner hosted by Sen. Manny Pacquiao at his Makati residence on Wednesday were asked to list the committees they preferred to lead, according to Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.

READ: Senators gather for dinner at Pacquiao’s Makati residence

Several incumbent, incoming, and outgoing senators — including Zubiri — attended the dinner amid reported tension in the Senate over some issued, among the committee chairmanships.

Zubiri said the dinner ended early and that the senators were asked to list their preferred committees.

“Maaga din natapos. Kakaalis ko lang. Lista-lista lang muna [ng preferred committee] pero mukhang naayos na ni SP [Senate President Vicente Sotto III] ang mga problema sa committees,” Zubiri said in a text message.

[We finished early. I just left. We listed our preferred committees, but it seems Senate President Vicente Sotto III has fixed the problem in committee selection.]

Sotto earlier said that some newly-elected senators were eyeing committee chairmanships held by incumbent senators.

He said the incumbent senators would explain to the neophytes would explain the equity of the incumbent rule used in the upper chamber.

READ: Sotto confirms conflict over committee chairmanships

On Tuesday, Zubiri said committee chairmanships for the 18th Congress were starting to shape up as several incumbent senators retained the leadership of their committees.

Zubiri said neophyte Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa would be likely to chair the Committee on Health and Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, respectively.

The Committee on Games and Amusements would most likely be chaired by returning Sen. Lito Lapid.

The Committee on Education, which would be split into the Committee on Basic Education and the Committee on Higher Education and Skills Training, would be chaired by Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva.

Zubiri added they were still “trying to find a happy solution” for the other senators, such as incoming Senators Francis Tolentino, Imee Marcos, and Pia Cayetano.

Several committees, such as the Committee on Ways and Means, were still up for grabs, Zubiri said.

READ: Committee chairmanships in new Senate start to materialize

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno]