Legarda doesn’t want to be Senate president pro tempore

Sen. Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Loren Legarda confirmed on Tuesday that she was being considered for the post of Senate President Pro Tempore and, if indeed necessary, she would consider it.

Legarda said Senator Franklin Drilon, who is reportedly a shoo-in for Senate President when the next Congress convenes in July, had asked her to consider the post.

“Sabi niya pag isipan ko raw ngunit sabi ko (Drilon told me to think about it but I told him) I can live without it,” she told reporters in an interview in Makati City.

“I’m not applying for it, I don’t need it. I can live without it pero kung kailangang-kailangan, maaring i-consider (but if it’s really needed, I may consider it,” she stressed.

Legarda pointed out that she did not need the position or the title to become an effective senator.

“If you’re asking me, gustong gusto ko ba (Do I really want it)? As of now, hindi (No). Hindi ko kailangan, hindi naman hinihingi, hindi pinag aaplayan pero napag isip-isip ko, kung talagang kailangan, hindi ako tatalikod sa anumang trabaho. (I don’t need it, I don’t ask for it, I don’t apply for it. But I realize, if it’s really necessary, I will not turn my back on any job),” she said.

“I don’t want to fight over positions. If I will be asked to accept it, if it would be given to me then I will consider.”

“But if there are others aspiring, who really want it, who are qualified and competent, and whom my colleagues would prefer, that is really fine by me,” she added.

Aside from her, however, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was also reportedly interested to be the next Senate Pro Tempore, which is concurrently being held by Acting Senate President Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.

Cayetano’s sister, Senator Pia Cayetano, was also reportedly eyeing the Majority Floor Leader post.

But two senators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Drilon purportedly did not want the Cayetanos to both hold the high positions in the chamber.

Legarda said Drilon had also talked her about the Majority Floor Leader post but she said she immediately turned it down.

Instead, Legarda said, she specifically expressed her preference to keep her chairmanship of the committee on climate change and get another chairmanship on the committee on environment now being headed by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.