SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri assured the minority bloc in the Senate will get a fair chance in the assignment of committee chairmanships.

“Of course, everyone deserves to get a committee. Walang mawawalan ng committees. There are more than enough for all members,” Mr. Zubiri told reporters in a phone message, Tuesday. (Of course, everyone deserves to get a committee. No one will be left without a committee. There are more than enough for all the members).

Among the panel chairmanships the Senate has yet to finalize is the committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, currently chaired by opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan.

“Wala pang decision sa consti amendments,” Mr. Zubiri said. (No decision yet on the constitutional amendments [committee]).

Regarding the committee on public order and dangerous drugs currently headed by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III told reporters, “Well, Senator Lacson is willing to relinquish the chairmanship. Meron kasi kaming tradition dito sa Senate that ‘yung dating chairman, or ‘yung incumbent chairman, meron tayong tinatawag na equity of the incumbent. So nasa kanila ‘yan unless they would want to give up their committee. We will most probably elect the same chairman for the same committee.” (We have a tradition in the Senate wherein the chairman has what we call the equity of the incumbent. So it is up to them unless they would want to give up their committee).

The Senate leader added: “Lahat bobotohan (Everything will be put to a vote). Pagdating ng July 22, when we convene for the 18th Congress, aside from the resolutions that we will be passing, most probably we will elect or re-elect the officers, that is the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure).” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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