De Lima defends Kiko-Bam decision to join Senate majority
(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA, Philippines—Liberal Party stalwart and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima on Tuesday defended Senators Francis Pangilinan and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino’s decision to join the Senate majority, saying that they could still be expected to make principled votes.
In an ambush interview, De Lima—who also serves as the spokesperson of the Liberal Party—said Pangilinan and Aquino have “explained their side already and we understand.”
“What is more important for us is what their stances are going to be when it comes to the important issues…in terms of [good] governance, in terms of anti-corruption, I think we can rely on them to side on what is right,” she said.
De Lima noted, for example, that Pangilinan and Aquino joined the Senate minority composed of Tito Sotto, Risa Hontiveros, Miguel Zubiri, Loren Legarda, and Panfilo Lacson, in authoring Senate Joint Resolution No. 1, which seeks to open to the public the notoriously secretive bicameral conference committee deliberations for the national budget.
READ: Joint reso filed in Senate to push transparency in tackling budget
De Lima, along with Akbayan Representatives Chel Diokno, Perci Cendana, and Dadah Kiram Ismula; and Albay Rep. Krisel Lagman filed the counterpart resolution in the House of Representatives.
A joint resolution requires the action of both chambers of Congress.
Both Pangilinan and Aquino, previously survey laggards in senatorial surveys, staged an electoral upset in the last midterm elections by sticking to their campaign messaging and avoiding hot-button political issues.
READ: Aquino, Pangilinan feats hailed as ‘real opposition’ gain
Pangilinan is currently the chair of the Liberal Party while Aquino chairs the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino.
Most of their base voted for them in hopes that they would join the initially peerless Hontiveros in the Senate minority.
Both, however, decided to join the majority in a bid to gain critical posts in the chamber where they can best achieve their campaign promises: Pangilinan, to head the agricultural committee, and Aquino, the basic education committee. /gsg
