Pimentel’s wish for Escudero: Peace on his ‘very short tenure; no surprises’

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel (File photos from the Senate Social Media Unit)

MANILA, Philippines — Expect no more surprises in the Senate when it convenes the third regular session of the 19th Congress on July 22.

This is at least according to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel  III when asked what to expect next week in the chamber under  the new leadership of Senate President Francis Escudero.

It was just last May 20 when Escudero was elected Senate leader after initiating the ouster of his predecessor, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

READ: Escudero admits starting plan to unseat Zubiri only few days ago

“Walang surpresa,” Pimentel said in an interview at the Senate on Wednesday.

(No surprises.)

“I think one year to go, let’s give the new SP a peaceful time to have a chance to achieve  his goals. I mean let’s make his very short tenure as smooth as possible,” he added.

When Zubiri resigned from his post, he cited his failure “to follow instructions from the powers that be.”

“I fought the good fight. If I have ruffled some feathers in doing so, if I have upset the powers that be, then so be it,” he said at that time.

“I did not accept the Senate presidency just to let it go down,” the former Senate leader added.

Zubiri later claimed that he lost the Senate presidency  for defending Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

At that time, Dela Rosa was leading a Senate probe into the alleged leaked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency documents that supposedly linked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to illegal drugs.

Most of Zubiri’s allies immediately vacated their posts following his resignation.

None of them has so far joined the minority bloc in the Senate, Pimentel said.

READ: Chiz Escudero is new Senate president; Miguel Zubiri out

“One week to go, mag open na ang session. Ang ka-meeting ko sa minority, isang tao pa rin so most likely, yun pa rin yun,” he said.

(“One week to go until the session opens. My meeting with the minority is still just one person, so most likely, it will still be that.)

“Wala namang nagre-reach out sa ‘min o tumatawag sa amin na gustong makipag meeting. Ang tumawag lang sa akin na gustong makipag-meeting sa akin, si Senator Risa Hontiveros so kaming dalawa pa rin,” the minority leader further said.

(No one is reaching out to us or calling us to request a meeting. The only one who called me who wanted a meeting with me was Senator Risa Hontiveros, so it’s still the two of us.)

NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.