LP senators, Hontiveros stripped of committee chairmanships

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

On Senator Manny Pacquiao’s motions, Liberal Party (LP) senators on Monday were stripped of their positions and committee chairmanships.

Pacquiao immediately moved to declare Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon’s position vacant as soon as the session opened around 3:30 p.m. Drilon himself seconded the motion.

It was also Pacquiao, who moved to elect Senator Ralph Recto to Drilon’s post. Seventeen senators voted to elect Recto, who headed the Senate minority group.

Aside from Drilon, two other LP senators were stripped of their chairmanships.

Pacquiao then immediately moved to elect Senator Ralph Recto to Drilon’s post. Seventeen senators voted to elect Recto, who used to head the Senate minority group.

After his election, Recto immediately took his oath of office as the new Senate President Pro Tempore.

Aside from Drilon, two other LP senators were stripped of their chairmanships also on Pacquiao’s motions.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, LP president, was removed as chair of the Senate committee on agriculture replaced by Senator Cynthia Villar, while another LP member, Senator Benigno Paolo “Bam” Aquino, was replaced by Senator Francis Escudero as chair of the Senate committee on education.

Escudero was also part of the Senate minority bloc before he was elected to replace Aquino.

Also on Pacquiao’s motion, Akbayan Representative Hontiveros, who ran under LP during the last May 2016 elections, was ousted as chair of the Senate committee on health and was replaced by Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito.

All three LP senators—Drilon, Pangilinan, and Aquino—and Hontiveros later manifested that they would now become part of the minority group, along with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Since he is already part of the majority group, Recto said Trillanes would take over the post he vacated as minority leader until the new minority decides whom they want to assume the post. RAM

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