SEN. ALAN Peter Cayetano. EDWIN BACASMAS
MANILA, Philippines—Can the “new blood” in the Senate take over any “bad blood” among senior senators in the 16th Congress?
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who himself had a bitter exchange of words with former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, hopes so.
“There’s new blood. We have Nancy, JV, Bam. We have Grace. So usually the new blood also energizes those who are more senior,” Cayetano said at a press conference on Friday, referring to newly-elected Senators Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, and Grace Poe-Llamanzares.
“So I’m hoping this new blood will take over any bad blood between the more senior members,” he said.
Cayetano, who is reportedly the next Majority Leader, expects that there will still be “some minor skirmishes” at the start of the new Congress, whichwill open on July 22.
“I think the first two weeks will be a trial period,” he said.
He noted the “I shall return” tone of Enrile when he resigned as Senate President last month and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s “I will not back down” stance.
“So may mga ganong statements so antayin na lang ang susunod na kabanata (There are statements to that effect so let’s just wait for the next chapter),” said Cayetano.
“But our job is really how to make the Senate as a whole despite the personal differences of the senators,” he said.
And like in the past, Cayetano was hopeful that the senators would rise above their personal differences.
Cayetano assured that the new leadership of presumptive Senate President Franklin Drilon would introduce specific reforms, especially on how the Senate funds should be spent correctly.
A series of meetings, he said, was being conducted by various groups to talk about not only the organization but also about reforming the Senate.
But Cayetano said he would leave it up to the proper authorities in their group to announce these reforms.