Hontiveros bares talking to Pimentel about forming Senate minority bloc
Senator Risa Hontiveros faces the media at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, after being proclaimed senator for the 19th Congress. INQUIRER.net/Daniza Fernandez
MANILA, Philippines — Reelected Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday revealed talking to Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel about forming a minority bloc in the upper chamber of Congress.
After the proclamation of winning senators in the May polls, Hontiveros also said she was having similar talks with other senators aside from Pimentel.
“Nagsimula na kaming mag-usap ni Sen. Koko. May isa o dalawa pa akong tinatanong kung magiging bukas sa pagsama sa minority. May kausap din si Sen. Koko sa pagkaalam ko,” she told reporters.
(Senator Koko and I started talking. I’m also asking one or two senators if they are open to joining the minority. From what I know, Senator Koko is also talking to another senator.)
But Hontiveros, who now appeared to be the lone opposition senator, stressed that the talks are exploratory.
“Hindi pa nakapag-upo bilang isang elective, isang buong minority. Mas mga one-on-one talks sa ngayon, exploratory,” she said.
(We have not sat down as an elective, as a minority as a whole. It is more on one-on-one talks for now.)
READ: Hontiveros may be lone oppositionist in Senate
Hontiveros said she hopes the minority bloc in the incoming 19th Congress would continue to be a “true” and “effective” minority although small.
“Ako ay umaasa na may posibilidad na maipagpatuloy sa 19th Congress ang pagkakaroon ng isang tunay — gaano man kaliit — at epektibong minorya tulad ng meron kami ngayon sa outgoing 18th Congress,” she pointed out.
(I am hoping for the possibility of continuing a true —no matter how small — and effective minority in the 19th Congress, like what we have now in the outgoing 18th Congress.)
Of the 12 senators proclaimed, only Hontiveros belongs to the opposition, getting 15.4 million votes.
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