Forget the plot: Pimentel shrugs off Senate ouster talk

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III expressed confidence in the stability of his Senate leadership, choosing to shrug off rumors of an ouster plot against him just as the chamber buckled down to work at the resumption of the regular session.

“Forget that ouster plot because that’s not important. Whoever has the support of 13 Senators should be the Senate President,” Pimentel said.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV had said earlier this week that members of the majority bloc, purportedly led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, were plotting to remove Pimentel as the Senate leader.

Cayetano, President Duterte’s running mate, had lost the Senate presidency to Pimentel during the Senate’s reorganization at the start of the new administration.

But the lawmaker said Trillanes’ claims were but a “figment of his imagination,” as seizing the Senate presidency would be useless for him.

He is due to resign from the chamber in the middle of the year, when he is expected to serve Mr. Duterte’s cabinet in full capacity.

Cayetano and Trillanes exchanged resignation dares on Friday, with the former challening the former Navy officer and mutineer that they should resign together. —TARRA QUISMUNDO