Recto mulls joining Senate minority bloc

Senator Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senator Ralph Recto, a member of the Liberal Party, said he is considering joining the new Senate minority bloc when the 17th Congress opens on July 25.

This despite Senate President Franklin Drilon’s earlier statement that the LP has agreed to coalesce with PDP-Laban, the political group of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and other groups in the Senate to form a super majority group.

READ: Drilon: Koko is next Senate president

“I have not signed any resolution supporting Koko for SP (Senate President) and being part of a super majority. I have a month to study my options including being part of the minority,” Recto said in a text message on Thursday.

Koko is Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, president of PDP-Laban, who claimed to have the support of 17 senators to be the next Senate President.

A source said Recto wanted to get the chairmanship of the Senate committee on finance but it has already been committed to its incumbent chair, Senator Loren Legarda.

Asked if there was truth to it, Recto said: “I am not asking for any committee. Offers were made re finance. I was considering it.”

He pointed out that a lot could still happen since the elections of the new Senate leadership and chairmanships will still be done in July.

“The Senate also needs a strong responsible fiscalizer to strengthen our democracy. Major policy issues will be debated. Like federalism, restoration of death penalty, etc. I want to be active in the debates and share my experiences,” Recto added.

So far, only Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Antonio Trillanes IV have confirmed their intention to be part of the new minority bloc in the chamber.

READ: Escudero, Trillanes will be Senate minority bloc—Pimentel | Trillanes: I’ll join the minority bloc

“Minority in the Senate does not necessarily mean opposition, and majority does not necessarily mean admin as you know,” Escudero said in a text message Wednesday.

Asked if he would be the minority leader, Escudero said: “I don’t know yet but I will not shirk from it.”

Trillanes, for his part, said he would give way to Escudero. JE/rga