Former Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Just for the record, six Liberal Party (LP) senators and allies helped Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to get elected to his post, Senator Franklin Drilon said on Monday.
Despite their support for Pimentel, Drilon said he was not surprised that he and other LP members and allies were suddenly kicked out from the majority group.
“After 19 years in the Senate nothing surprises me anymore,” said Drilon, who was ousted as President Pro Tempore and was replaced by Senator Ralph Recto with 17 votes.
Asked how he felt about it, he said: “Nothing. We are not kapit-tuko. It’s a number’s game. They have the numbers.”
“But just for the record, the LP supported SP Pimentel when we reorganized the 17th Congress. That’s on the record. We offered him six votes and part of the first 13 votes that he got included seven from LP and its allies,” Drilon said.
Asked again if he anticipated the move of the majority bloc, Drilon said: “Nabilang ko na iyan noon pa.”
“The majority decided, then be it; when you become part of the majority, ganoon din iyon. It’s a numbers game,” he added.
Despite his ouster as Senate President Pro Tempore, Drilon remains chair of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revisions of codes.
Aside from Drilon, LP Senators Francis Pangilinan and Bam Aquino were removed as chair of the committees on agriculture, and education respectively while Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros, who also ran under the LP-led ticket during the last elections, was removed as chair of the committee on health./ac