Poe to stay with Senate majority only if Sotto keeps his post

MANILA, Philippines — If she wins another term, Senator Grace Poe said she would likely stay with the majority bloc for as long as Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III keeps his post.

“I’m still inclined to join the majority if Senator Tito Sotto will remain as Senate President,” she told reporters before her miting de avance in Tondo, Manila on Friday. “Kasi para sa akin ang pagiging majority ay kung naniniwala ka sa liderato ng Senado (Because for me, being with the majority means you believe in the Senate leadership.)

While she remains an independent, Poe became part of the Senate majority bloc when she backed Sotto’s election as Senate leader.

But being part of the majority does not mean always supporting administration-backed measures, she said.

Poe said she prefers the new set of senators to come from different sectors. She also believes that the Senate should not be dominated by only one group.

“Kahit na anong composition, pag galing sa isang kampo lamang baka naman maging sunod-sunuran sa isang grupo lamang, hindi tama yun (No matter what the composition is, if they come from only one camp, there is danger that they will blindly follow one group. That’s not right),” she said.

“Lalung-lalo na ang Senado na lang ang tinititingala na parang nagkakaroon pa ng konting diskurso para maging balanse sa mga issues (The senate is the only institution expected to facilitate discourse and balance issues),” she pointed out.

Pro-administration candidates have so far dominated the pre-election surveys conducted by various pollsters. Poe, however, has kept her lead in the polls.

But she said she is already happy just being part of the winning circle.

READ: Poe, Villar share lead in Pulse Asia senatorial survey for April

“Alam mo, ang naiisip kong advantage ngayon e makapasok ka lang e. Kasi yung pagiging number one, minsan malaki din ang pressure na ekspektasyon sayo (I think the advantage now is you are in. Being number carries with some pressure and expectation) ,” Poe said.

“Basta masaya na lang tayo na makapasok tayo dun sa dose (I’m happy that I’m in the so-called ‘Magic 12’),” she added. (Editor: Eden Estopace)