LIST: Senate committee, chairmanships after reorganization

MANILA, Philippines – After Sen. Manny Pacquiao moved for the ousting of Liberal Party (LP) from key Senate posts, the body reshuffled chairmanships in committee and its minority bloc.

The LP senators namely Sens. Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan shifted to the minority bloc while other members of the minority transferred to the majority floor. Detained Sen. Leila De Lima also joined them in the opposition.

Only Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV remained in the minority bloc.

The LP ouster was planned in Pacquiao’s house in Forbes, Makati where 15 to 16 senators met last Monday night. The meeting, attended by Sen. Aquilino “Kiko” Pimentel III, discussed the move against the LP senators, among other things.

According to Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan and Loren Legarda led the ouster of LP senators. Sen. Cynthia Villar said that Pacquiao moved for the senator’s removal because he wanted to.

“Gusto niya eh. Sino lalaban sa kanya? Baka masuntok pa tayo,” Villar said in an interview.

With the ouster, Sen. Ralph Recto now replaced Drilon as Senate President Pro-Tempore while the latter became the Senate Minority leader.

Aquino, on the other hand, was elected the Deputy Minority leader.

Pacquiao clarified that not all chairmanships of the LP senators were stripped off. “May awa naman ako,” he said in a recorded interview.

Lacson said the ouster has to be done because the LP often sided with the minority. Villar said that the Senate majority floor is now clear and that their work will be hasten because there will be no confusion in clashing views.

Below appears the list of the committee and the new chairmanships.