Cayetano: Palace continues to meddle in Senate leadership

Vice Presidential bet Senator Alan Peter Cayetano faces the media with wife Taguig City reelectionist Mayor Lani Cayetano. MARK GIONGCO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Malacañang supposedly continues to dip its hand in the Senate leadership race as incumbent Senate President Franklin Drilon faces possible ouster when the 17th Congress opens in July.

“It’s an irony, sinasabi nila huwag makialam ang bagong presidente pero yung Malacañang ngayon nakikialam pa rin (they are saying that the new president should not meddle but Malacañang now is still interfering). They are still making calls…” Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano told reporters on Monday.

“What I’m saying nga it’s normal pero huwag nyo nang sabihin na hindi normal yun. Ang masama gamitin mo yung powers ng presidency, yung bago, yung luma para impluwensyahan o diktahan ang Senate. But if you respect the independence and may preference ka normal yun,” he said.

(What I’m saying nga it’s normal but don’t say that it’s not normal. What’s inappropriate is if the new leader uses the powers of the presidency and if the incumbent influences or dictates the Senate. But if you respect the independence and you have preference, it’s normal.)

While incoming President Rodrigo Duterte may have his own preference for Senate President, Cayetano said the former would not interfere with an independent institution like the Senate.

Asked if outgoing President Beningo Aquino III himself was the one calling senators to make sure that Drilon would keep his post, Cayetano said: “Basta sabihin ko na lang na ang (All I can say is) Malacañang still has their hand in the Senate leadership and it’s normal because they went through an election and they have the most number of senators now.”

But having a political group with the most number of senators, he said, was not an assurance to secure the Senate presidency.

Cayetano pointed out that the Nacionalista Party had the most number of members in the Senate but the elected leader came from the Liberal Party.

“So just because mas marami ang Liberal hindi ibig sabihin sila ang Senate President (So just because most are from Liberal [Party] doesn’t mean a member of them would become the Senate President). Once upon a time, more than a majority were LDP (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino) pero (but) both the Senate President and the Minority Leader were the LDPs,” he said.

Cayetano, who ran with Duterte in the last May 9 national elections, claimed to have the support of at least 15 senators backing him to be the next Senate President.

READ: Cayetano says 15 senators backing his presidency in Senate

Drilon quickly denied Cayetano’s claim that Malacañang has been calling some senators.

“I don’t think so. I have no information on that, and I deny that,” he said in a separate interview.

Drilon also reiterated his readiness to yield his post to whoever gets the support of the majority of the 24-member chamber.

“I have always said that whoever has 13 signatures electing Senator XYZ to lead the 17th Congress, I am willing to yield the Senate presidency,” he said.

“As I have said, those who have 13 signatures, just present to me the resolution, and there’s no problem,” the Senate leader added. RAM/rga