Senate speeds up division of spoils

Hoping to finish the Senate reorganization soon, lawmakers have fast tracked the election of chairs and members of 21 committees before taking a two-day recess for an urgent national security meeting with the President.

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel and Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III led the fast-paced election of officers on Tuesday afternoon, finishing through more than half of the Senate’s 39 standing committees.

On Sotto’s motion, the Senate adjourned for the week, with the committee elections to resume on Monday as the chamber’s leaders was called to attend the national security meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday afternoon.

By default, Sotto will head the committee on rules, being the chamber’s majority leader who has purview of the chamber’s administrative matters.

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon was elected chair of the committee on constitutional amendments, a fitting role as he was first to propose a Senate Resolution calling for a constitutional convention to facilitate the country’s shift to a federal form of government.

Other chairmanships were consistent with a rough listing earlier revealed by Pimentel and Sotto, when the majority was still being consolidated.

The committee on public order went to returning Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former national police chief, while defense is now chaired by Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, an ex-military officer.

The education committee is now under Sen. Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, while tourism was given to Sen. Nancy Binay. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV got civil service, government reorganization and professional regulation.

Other senators retained their chairmanships from the previous Congress: Sen. Grace Poe remains chair of the committee on public services, Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara heads the committee on ways and means, and Sen. Loren Legarda still heads the finance committee.

Returning senators also got theirs: Sen. Richard Gordon was elected to the powerful blue ribbon committee, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan took the agriculture committee, and Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri was chosen to head the committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito now heads urban planning while Sen. Cynthia Villar got two: environment and natural resources, and social justice, welfare and rural development.