Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III stepped down as the Senate’s leader on Monday, May 21, and nominated Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III taking the helm.
“I am together with my colleagues in the Senate majority in this reorganization of the Senate leadership and announce that I will be the one to nominate Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III as the new Senate President today,” he said during a press briefing.
“I step down knowing that I tried my best to do this. I wish my successor Senator Sotto good health and godspeed and pledged to help the new leadership pass pro-people legislation consistent with the legislative agenda of the President,” he added.
With his resignation, Mr. Pimentel said he planned to go around the country on his personal time to campaign for federalism, the advocacy of the ruling political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipinas Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban).
As the ruling party’s president, he also said it was his duty to prepare his party for the upcoming 2019 midterm polls.
He said the change in Senate leadership at this time would allow Mr. Sotto more time to achieve the passage of laws in the Senate.
Mr. Pimentel was elected Senate President in July 2016, a post previously held by his father former Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

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