NP assured of key Senate posts — Villar

Former Las Pinas Representative and now Senator Cynthia Villar (center) INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Nacionalista Party in the Senate has been assured of key positions in the 16th Congress, including the Senate Majority Floor Leader post, Senator Cynthia Villar said on Thursday.

Villar is the wife of former Senator Manny Villar, who heads the NP.

Mrs. Villar said the Senate Majority Leader post will most likely go to Senator Peter Alan Peter Cayetano, a member of the NP bloc in the chamber, while she would probably head the Senate committee on agriculture.

The Senate committee on defense, she said, would go to Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, while the Senate committee on health would be retained by Senator Pia Cayetano.

Both Trillanes and Pia Cayetano belong to NP.

Another NP member, Senator Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos Jr., is eyeing to retain his chairmanship of the Senate committee on local government, Mrs. Villar said.

Asked if the positions were already final, Mrs. Villar said: “Alam nyo naman ’yan (You all know that), nothing is over until it’s over.”

The committee assignments would only become final when the names are read on the Senate floor, according to Villar.