8 senators so far back Villar as next Senate president — Dela Rosa

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Cynthia Villar has eight “solid” votes for the Senate presidency so far, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said on Tuesday.

“Yung solid na mama bear ay walo. Walo kami (Those who are solid supporters of mama bear are eight. We’re eight),” Dela Rosa said, referring to Villar, in an interview with reporters at the Senate.

Aside from him and Villar herself, other senators supporting her bid for the Senate presidency include those who Dela Rosa called “Duterte senators.”

These are Senators Bong Go, Imee Marcos, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and Francis Tolentino.

“Sa baguhan naman automatic yung anak ni Sen. Villar, si Sen. Mark and Robin Padilla being PDP-Laban kasama namin,” Dela Rosa added.

(For the rookies, it’s automatic that Sen. Villar’s son Mark will support her, as well as Robin Padilla being a PDP-Laban member.)

According to Dela Rosa, Villar had reached out to them before the 2022 polls.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, another contender for the post, talked to them only after he was sure to bag another fresh term in the Senate.

Asked why Dela Rosa chose Villar over Zubiri, the top cop-turned-politician cited loyalty.

“Nauna makipagusap sa amin [si Sen. Villar]. Wala namang masamang kanin sa kanilang dalawa…walang pwedeng itapon. Parehong magagaling na leader,” Dela Rosa said.

(Sen. Villar talked to us first. Both of them are great…both are great leaders.)

“It doesn’t mean na the other one is less of a leader than the other. Pareho silang magaling. Pero nauna lang kami doon nag-commit dahil nga sa nauna kaming kinausap…24 lang kaming senador ang pangit naman kung para kang yung loyalty mo ay napaka-weak,” he added.

(It doesn’t mean that the other one is less of a leader than the other. Both of them are great but the other one was the first to reach out to us…We’re only 24, it does not look good if your loyalty is weak.)

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said he believes Villar will perform well as a Senate president.

“Kung experience ang paguusapan, pareho naman sila ng experience [If we’re talking about experience, both of them are experienced],” Dela Rosa said.

He also described Villar as “sincere.”

“Sincere siya na tao. At kapag kinausap…kapag sinabi niya gagawin talaga niya. Yun yung hanap natin na leader na totoo pag kausap. Hindi yung masyadong politiko. Iba yung sinasabi, iba yung ginagawa,” Dela Rosa said of Villar.

(She’s a sincere person. If you talk to her…if she says something, she does it. The leader we look for is someone who is genuine. Not someone who is too much of a politician whose words are different from their actions.)

RELATED STORY

Supermajority, family ties shape new Senate

je