Senate President Francis Escudero speaks during the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s bloc is still a part of the Senate majority, newly-instated Senate President Chiz Escudero said on Thursday.
At a Kapihan sa Senado forum, Escudero was asked whether or not he would exert an effort to stop Zubiri and his allies should they intend to join the two-man Senate minority.
Zubiri’s allies include senators Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Sonny Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian and Loren Legarda.
READ: Villanueva, Binay, Angara, Ejercito, Legarda follow Zubiri’s resignation
“Pasya nila ‘yun. Pero sa ngayon, base sa tradisyon at rules ng Senado, itinuturing namin silang bahagi ng mayorya dahil kung maaalala ninyo, after nung election by acclamation, dalawa lamang ang nag manifest na sila ay nag-a-abstain at hindi sumali sa boto kaya nanatili sila sa minority,” said Escudero.
(It’s their decision. But for now, based on tradition and rules of the Senate, we are still treating them as members of the majority. Because if you recall, after the election by acclamation, only two senators have manifested that they would abstain from voting. That’s why they remained in the minority.)
Escudero was pertaining to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros.
READ: Senators weep as Senate President Zubiri delivers his valedictory speech
The Senate leader said senators are free to manifest their intentions to be part of the minority bloc.
“Pero sa ngayon, bahagi sila ng mayorya. Pero bahagi man sila ng mayorya o minorya, gaya sa sinasabi ko sa talumpati ko matapos akong manumpa, itinuturing ko silang pare-parehong miyembro ng senado,” Escudero emphasized.
(But for now, they are part of the majority. But whether they are part of the majority or minority, like what I said in my speech after I took an oath, I recognize them all as equal members of the Senate.)
Zubiri previously told reporters that members of his bloc are “all independent senators” as of the moment.
Villanueva, however, earlier admitted that he may join the minority group.
Meanwhile, Ejercito, in a televised interview on Thursday, said members of the “Solid 7” are thinking of joining Pimentel and Hontiveros.