‘Senate remains independent’

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate remains independent despite claims by some of its members that it has been compromised with the ouster of Liberal Party (LP) senators from the majority bloc, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said yesterday.

Sotto strongly disputed claims of LP Sens. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Franklin Drilon, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan that their ouster from the majority was orchestrated by the Duterte administration and that it could weaken the Senate.

Hontiveros is not from the LP but has been siding with the party on almost all issues in the chamber.

Sotto pointed out the lines dividing the majority and minority in the Senate are “blurred” in that senators are free to take individual positions regardless of their political affiliation.

“We don’t want a subservient Senate but we also don’t want to be hostile or else we won’t achieve anything and the people will suffer. The Senate is not pro-administration, it is pro-people and pro-country,” he said.

“They’ve been shooting at the back. Like in a basketball team, some of our teammates are shooting at the other basket,” he said, referring to the LP senators.

He explained the changes were intended to make the objectives and goals clear and “if there are any objections, you know where it will be coming from.”

He also said it is not as if the LP senators are left without committees. Aquino still has his science and technology committee, while De Lima still chairs the electoral reforms panel despite being under detention.

The leadership of the Senate expects priority bills to move faster in the chamber with the transfer of LP senators to the minority bloc.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez with House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and newly elected Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto held a meeting yesterday to finalize bills being readied for approval before Congress adjourns next month.