Sotto picks 2 senators to counter ‘No-el’ ploy

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III /Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Amid persistent talk of a “no-election (No-el)” scenario, Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday revealed he already had two colleagues in mind who could hypothetically serve as the interim Senate president and take over temporarily as the country’s leader if no other higher official is elected by June 30.

Sotto said he was not taking any chances despite reassurances from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that it would foil any plot to delay the May 9 polls and extend the terms of incumbent officials, including that of President Duterte.

“At least two [senators] fit the strategy,” he told the Inquirer in a Viber message.

But he declined to give names, saying only that his picks should be among the 12 remaining senators whose terms were not lapsing this year.

These were Senators Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Aquilino Pimentel III, Juan Edgardo Angara, Christopher Go, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, Lito Lapid, Imee Marcos, Francis Tolentino and Ramon Revilla Jr.

Sotto said the persons he had in mind were “independent-minded” and would be trusted by the populace should either of them be compelled to assume the presidency in an interim capacity.

Senators serve six-year terms, but only half of them, or 12, are elected in each election, shifting every three years.

Sotto, who is seeking the vice presidency, and his running mate, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, earlier spoke of a contingency plan to ensure that the presidential line of succession would be preserved should the No-el plotters succeed in delaying the polls.

Under their proposal, before Congress adjourns in June 2022, Sotto will step down and the Senate will elect his successor.

Then, if no one is elected president or vice president by June 30, the new Senate president “shall act as the president until a new president or vice president shall have been chosen and qualified.”

No reason for delay

On Tuesday, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez assured the public that there would be no obstacles to the 2022 elections.

“The Comelec sees no reason to postpone the elections … As long as the Comelec doesn’t grant the request to delay the elections, then the elections will push through. We will not be delayed,” he said.

Reacting to Jimenez’s statement, Sotto said, “That sounds like a good assurance from Comelec [spokesperson] but nevertheless, the Senate is ready to uphold the Constitution. I’ve thought this over and prepared.”

A faction of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) had warned that the rival group led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi was plotting to “derail the election and push for a No-el scenario.”

Late last month, Cusi’s faction, which has no standard-bearer for the 2022 polls after Go withdrew from the race, petitioned the Comelec to reopen the period for the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs).

But on Monday, the rival PDP-Laban group led by Senators Manny Pacquiao and Pimentel said the petition of the Cusi faction was a “last-ditch effort” to subvert the will of the electorate.

“Their petition may result in delaying and derailing the electoral process and benefit at a chance to have failed elections to prolong their hold on power,” said the group’s vice chair Lutgardo Barbo, who is running for senator.

He said any delay in the printing of ballots and processing of COCs would favor incumbent officials as their terms of office would be extended.