Palace: It’s Drilon for Senate helm

After playing it coy for some time, Malacañang on Sunday confirmed that Sen. Franklin Drilon was the administration coalition’s candidate for Senate President in the 16th Congress.

And given that the administration now enjoys a “substantial majority” in the chamber, Drilon’s assumption of the third-highest government post seems as good as done.

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) bloc led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is expected to put up a “pro-forma” candidate for the top post. This would simply be to indicate who the standard-bearer of the minority bloc would be in the next Congress.

“He (Drilon) is the only aspirant from the majority coalition who is being considered for that position… he’s the most logical candidate,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, senior political adviser to President Aquino, said in a phone interview.

But to say that Drilon has the Senate presidency in the bag “is an absolute statement that is not advisable” and could only be said after the votes are counted, Abad said.

After the victory of nine of the 12 Team PNoy candidates in the May 13 elections, the administration coalition is poised to regain the leadership of the Senate with the support of at least 16 senators.

NP on board

Drilon has already reportedly talked to the Nacionalista Party, which has its own bloc of senators, into agreeing to back a common candidate for the Senate presidency. NP member Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano had earlier been mentioned as a possible contender, but he has since declared his support for Drilon.

More than 13 senators have agreed to back a common candidate, Abad said.

“The way it’s developing, he (Drilon) seems to be the candidate who can rally the majority for the Senate presidency,” he added.

Abad said that UNA, led by current Senate President Enrile, was expected to put up its own candidate, but so far the group has not floated any name.

Not a contender

“I’m sure the minority, to be considered a minority, they will have to put forward a name, not necessarily a contender. It’s a pro-forma action on the part of whoever wants to carry the banner of the minority. I’m sure there will be one,” he said.

UNA took the role of the opposition in the recently concluded midterm elections.

Abad said the Senate President would play a crucial role in pushing the President’s legislative agenda in his remaining three years in office.

“Of course it’s a high-profile position. You’re the third in line to succession. But three years is a long time,” he said, when asked what role the new Senate President would play in the 2016 presidential elections.