Veterans have upper hand in Senate race 2016—Drilon

Senate President Franklin Drilon. JOAN BONDOC/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

With six re-electionist and four returning senators, the 2016 senatorial race would not be a walk in the park for first-time candidates, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Monday.

Drilon said that he and five other incumbent senators had an “advantage of recall” if all of them would seek another term next year.

Aside from him, the Senate leader said, the five other re-electionists are Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Senators Serge Osmena, Teofisto Guingona III, and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

“There are four prospective ‘balikbayan.’ Those are former senators Senator Kiko (Pangilinan), Senator (Panfilo) Ping (Lacson)—if he does not run for president—former Senator (Richard) Dick Gordon, and former Senator (Juan Miguel) Zubiri,” Drilon said in an interview over the ABS-CBN News Channel.

Gordon and Zubiri ran but lost during the 2013 senatorial derby.

Asked if 2016 would be a hard race for newcomers, Drilon said: “That’s correct.”

Drilon said some of his colleagues whose terms would expire in 2016 were Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Pia Cayetano and Lito Lapid.