MANILA, Philippines – Newly proclaimed Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has been awarded two committee chairmanships after joining the majority group in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday that Pimentel would head the committees on electoral reforms, and the games, amusement, and sports, previously headed by Senator Lito Lapid.
Sotto said Pimentel was elected to head the games committee Tuesday night while the Senate rules have yet to be amended to create the committee on electoral reforms.
At present, electoral reforms is part of the committee on constitutional amendments, revision of Codes and Laws now headed by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.
But at the caucus of senators Tuesday noon, Sotto said they agreed to split Santiago’s committee and give the electoral reforms to Pimentel.
“What happened yesterday is that we thought of giving electoral reforms to Sentor Pimentel because we knew that he liked it but we cannot take away constitutional amendments from Senator Miriam so we agreed to talk to Senator Miriam to inform her that we will be removing electoral reforms from her committee,” said Sotto in Filipino in a radio interview.
“So she [Santiago] agreed. [Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada talked to her last night. She agreed that electoral reforms be made into a major committee and that it be given to Pimentel,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lapid volunteered to give the games committee to Pimentel, said Sotto.