Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday denied rumors that the minority bloc is actively seeking to unseat Senate President Vicente Sotto III, saying there are no ongoing efforts or signature drives to change the chamber’s leadership.
At a press conference, Cayetano said the Senate minority was not actively courting members of the majority to consolidate votes for a new leadership.
‘There is no active courting in the sense. Even when Sen. (Panfilo) Lacson first revealed that (almost all senators of the 19th Congress had budget insertions), I can tell you, I am not talking to anybody (about a coup),’ Cayetano said.
He said he recently spoke with Sotto over the phone and assured him that the minority bloc remains steady in its role.
Cayetano said no leadership changes should be expected tomorrow or when the chamber resumes session to adjourn for a month-long recess.
Rumors of a leadership change swirled last week after some senators expressed disappointment with the direction of the Blue Ribbon committee’s probe on flood control corruption.
Even observers like former Senate president Franklin Drilon said Lacson’s resignation as chairman of the panel was a sacrifice the leadership had to make to keep Sotto’s Senate presidency.
The Senate majority is composed of 15 senators while the Cayetano-led minority has nine.
For the meantime, Sen. Erwin Tulfo will assume the chairmanship of the Blue Ribbon committee on an acting capacity while the majority bloc deliberates the permanent replacement for Lacson, Sotto announced yesterday.
After the majority caucus yesterday afternoon, Sotto bared that they decided to make Tulfo acting chairman as he is currently the vice chair.
Sotto said most of the majority bloc members want Lacson to stay, including some of the five senators being eyed to replace him.
Sotto said the decision on the permanent chair will be made after the majority’s next meeting, once Sen. Erwin Tulfo, currently overseas, returns.
Meanwhile, Tulfo said Sotto had informed him that no one has yet accepted the position after Lacson stepped down.
‘If there’s no other choice, maybe I’ll take the job. Because we cannot have the position vacant,’ he said over radio dzMM.
In a chance interview yesterday, Sen. Pia Cayetano said she is open to chairing the Blue Ribbon panel.
However, she cited her present work as chair of the committees on ways and means and energy as possible hindrances.