Villar drops bid for Senate leadership
SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar has dropped her bid for the upper chamber’s top position, saying she wants a “simple life,” following political jockeying even before the proclamation of the 12 winning legislators in the May 9 elections.
She told reporters in an ambush interview on Wednesday that she is also not considering a term-sharing arrangement with other contenders for the Senate president seat.
“I’d rather not. I want a simple life.”
Instead, the senator seeks to maintain her chairmanship in the Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform Committee; and Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee.
“I’ll take care of my advocacy, agriculture and environment,” she said.
Prior to her announcement, Senator Ronald M. Dela Rosa said eight of the 24 senators for the incoming 19th Congress, including himself, were backing Ms. Villar’s leadership.
This group, Ms. Villar said, will now be supporting current Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri, who reportedly already has at least 10 other senators behind him.
Ms. Villar said she has already informed Mr. Zubiri about her decision. “He was very joyful.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Zubiri said, “A united Senate is a productive one, so from the very beginning, I’ve always wanted to form a supermajority in the Senate… so I would like to thank Ma’am Cynthia Villar from the bottom of my heart for her support, graciousness, and magnanimity in helping me form a supermajority.”
“If I become the next senate president, the Senate will continue to be the Senate of the people, and a Senate where every senator is free to express their own views and beliefs,” he added.
Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian and incoming Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero were also said to be gunning for the top post.
MINORITY
Meanwhile, Senators Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel and Aquilino Martin “Koko” L. Pimentel III, who are headed to comprise the minority bloc, have reached out to four other senators to join them.
“Well, we hope that at least three, if not more, and as I said before, the most important thing is not the absolute number of the minority, the most important thing is that we are a real minority, no matter how we are — little or more,” Ms. Hontiveros said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
“It is true that we can fulfill the duty to check and balance, to fiscalize, while like the minority today, we are also able to work with the majority in common advocacies,” she added.
Mr. Zubiri also announced on Wednesday a tentative list of chairmanships for the different committees. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
