Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Resigned Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile will still run for the highest post in the Senate to get the minority leadership in the 16th Congress, acting Senate President Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said on Thursday.
“We will still put up a good fight on July 22. If we do not have the numbers, he (Enrile) will automatically become the minority leader,” Estrada said during a weekly forum.
“By tradition, one of the members of the minority will have to nominate (Enrile). Now if we don’t have the numbers, automatically he becomes the minority leader,” he said.
Another scenario, Estrada said, is that the chamber would just decide to pick the next minority leader by “acclamation.”
“Pwedeng pag usapan ng buong chamber na wala nang botohan, by acclamation na lang katulad ng ginawa yata noong last time, nilagay na lang si Senator Alan (Cayetano) as minority floor leader,” said Estrada who was installed as Senate President after Enrile announced his irrevocable resignation Wednesday.
Estrada said he would continue as acting Senate President until a new leader is elected by a three-fourths vote of the members of the Senate.
“Ako naman I don’t want to cling to that post. Extra lang ako dyan,” he said.