Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (2nd from left) poses for a photo with Senators (left to right) JV Ejercito, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay and Joel Villanueva before confirming a move to remove him from the Senate leadership on Monday, May 20, 2024. (File photo taken at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City by MAILA AGER / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The emergence of the group Solid 7 following a leadership change came as a surprise to newly-installed Senate President Francis Escudero.
The group is composed of resigned Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara and Sherwin Gatchalian.
Zubiri stepped down from his post last May 20 after Escudero secured the support of 15 of 24 senators to become Senate president
But for Escudero, the changing of the guard at the Senate was peaceful.
“Ilang beses kaming nakapag-usap at yung kudeta sanay lang naman ang media na tawagin yan pero nagkaroon ng mapayapang pagpapalit,” he said in an interview over Unang Hirit on Monday.
(We’ve already talked several times and the media is just used to calling it a coup, but there was a peaceful transition.)
“Pinuntahan namin ni Senator Cayetano si Senator Zubiri sa kanyang tanggapan pero alam naman na niya na merong sapat na boto para magkaroon ng pagpapalit ng liderato. Kaya nga naging mapayapa yung transition bago kami nagtapos ng sesyon sine die…” he added, referring to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
(Senator Cayetano and I went to Zubiri’s office but he already knew there were enough votes to change the leadership. That’s why the transition was peaceful before we adjourned sine die.)
Shortly after, Solid 7 was born – to Escudero’s surprise.
Under Zubiri’s leadership, he had the support of the 22-member “solid and strong” majority bloc, the new Senate chief pointed out.
“Nagulat na lamang kami nitong mga nakaraang araw sa kabila pala ng solid majority at strong majority ng 22 ay meron din palang 6 o 7 sa loob nun na hiwalay na grupo,” Escudero said.
(We were surprised to learn in the past days that despite the solid majority and strong majority of 22, there were also 6 or 7 within it who were part of a separate group.)
The remaining two are in the opposition bloc led by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and his lone member, Senator Risa Hontiveros.
“Nung ako’y nanumpa, ang talumpati ko, iisa ang tingin ko sa Senado, majority man o minority at wala akong titingnan o tinitingnan na grupo mo o grupo ko. Iisang Senado ang tingin ko at lahat sila ay miyembro ng Senado ang tingin ko,” Escudero continued.
(When I took my oath, my speech emphasized that I see the Senate as one, regardless of the majority or the minority, and I won’t look at or consider your group or my group. I see one Senate, and I view them all as members of the Senate.)
No one objected on the Senate floor when Cayetano nominated Escudero to be the new president of the chamber.
Zubiri’s allies, though, immediately resigned from key posts in the Senate, except for Gatchalian who stays as head of the committees on ways and means, and basic education.
In an interview over Bombo Radyo, Escudero admitted being saddened by statements that came out from Zubiri’s group after the leadership change.
But he is confident that during their two-month recess, they could still mend the relationships strained by the transition.
“Wala akong nakikitang rason para hindi kami magiging maayos ang relasyon bagaman magkaiba ang pananaw namin sa ilang mga bagay,” he said in an interview at the Senate.
(I don’t see any reason why we won’t have a good relationship even though we may have different views on some matters.)
In time, Escudero believes they can all put this behind and start a good and smoother working relationship in the chamber.
NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.