Senate President Vicente Sotto III is confident of keeping his leadership even with the return of Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson as chair of the powerful Blue Ribbon committee.
‘Maybe not, because our colleagues also want him (to return as Blue Ribbon chair),’ Sotto said when asked if he’s concerned that Lacson’s return might cause unrest among the senators.
‘And if ever there is, no problem with that. I always serve at the pleasure of my peers. Maybe being a senator is much easier than being an official,’ he added.
Last month, Lacson announced that he would resign as chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee after his colleagues expressed ‘disappointment’ regarding his handling of the inquiry into flood control projects.
Some sectors viewed Lacson’s previous departure from the panel as a sign of an ‘unstable’ Senate.
They said Lacson’s quitting his position as chair of the powerful panel was a bid to ‘appease his majority colleagues’ so the presidency of Sotto could be ‘preserved.’
Lacson is set to be reelected as Blue Ribbon committee chair next week.
Meanwhile, Sotto said he is eyeing to meet with former Speaker Martin Romualdez to possibly invite him to the next flood control hearing.
‘I’ve already set up a meeting. It might be later or tomorrow. Within the next few days, we’ll be able to talk,’ the Senate leader said.