Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – With only six senators expected to support incumbent Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, one of his allies conceded on Wednesday that the majority will now go for Senator Franklin Drilon.
“Sa ngayon as we speak, as I talk, most likely the majority [will go for] Senator Drilon,” Senator pro tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada told reporters.
Asked if that meant Enrile’s group was conceding the new leadership to Drilon in the 16th Congress, Estrada said, “Right now wala kaming numero. A-anim lang kami (We don’t have the numbers. We’re only six).”
Estrada identified the six as the four members of the so-called “macho-bloc” composed of himself, Enrile, Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and re-elected Senator Gringo Honasan plus two neophyte senators Nancy Binay and JV Ejercito.