Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero (left) and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (right). | FILE PHOTOS: Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Talks about leadership change before every session break no longer surprise Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, calling it a “normal occurrence” in the Senate.
As former Senate President, Zubiri counted several coup rumors against him before his ouster in May.
He was replaced by the incumbent Senate President Francis Escudero, whose four-month leadership is now being hounded by ouster talks.
READ: Chiz Escudero is new Senate president; Miguel Zubiri out
“Alam niyo, ‘yung usap-usapan na kudeta sa Senado, palaging lumalabas yan pag break,” Zubiri said at the regular Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday.
(You know coup talks in the Senate always come up during breaks.)
“Noon ako po’y nakaupo bilang Senate president, noong Christmas break of 2023 may ganyan ng usapin. Pagdating ng February ganun din nangyari na may usap-usapan and of course everything else is history once we got back in April,” he added.
(When I was sitting as Senate president, during the Christmas break of 2023, there were already talks like that. In February, the same thing happened with more rumors, and of course, everything else is history once we got back in April)
“Ang punto ko dyan, talagang may mga usap-usapan ‘yan sa dulo ng mga session days bago mag-break. So it’s a normal occurrence,” the former Senate leader said.
(My point is that there are always discussions like that at the end of session days before a break. So it’s a normal occurrence.)
However, Zubiri claimed no knowledge of any ouster bid now against Escudero.
“Wala naman akong nakitang papel. Wala namang kumausap sa akin. Wala naman akong napirmahang papel na request for leadership change, so as far as I’m concerned, that’s all rumors at this point in time,” he said.
(I haven’t seen any documents. No one has spoken to me about it. I haven’t signed any papers requesting a leadership change, so as far as I’m concerned, that’s all rumors at this point.)
This was echoed by Escudero, reiterating that all these ouster talks against him remain a rumor “unless it becomes a reality.”
He also stressed that the Senate leadership always serves at the pleasure of the majority.
“We will remain here until we enjoy the confidence of the majority. It’s that simple,” Escudero said in an interview at the Senate.