Drilon: Team PNoy to field 'sure winner' for Senate president

MANILA, Philippines - The administration-backed coalition in the Upper House will have a common candidate for the next Senate President in the 16th Congress, Senator Franklin Drilon said on Thursday.

Drilon, the campaign manager of Team PNoy in the 2013 elections, said he met with Senator Manny Villar, the president of the Nacionalista Party (NP), who has assured that they will stay with the coalition contrary to a rumored split-up.

"[Senator] Villar assured us that the NP will continue to support the President and his legislative agenda in the Senate, that there will be a common candidate of the coalition in the Senate," said Drilon, adding that more than 13 senators will choose a common bet.

Drilon said in the 15th Congress, incumbent Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile became the common candidate on the Sunday before the opening of the session.

Drilon, meanwhile, did not provide details about the possible common candidate of the administration's coalition, saying he is not authorized "to talk about it beyond what we have agreed."

Asked if the coalition's common bet will be a sure winner, Drilon said: "Well, the administration and its coalition will have the majority block so it's a logical assumption."

Drilon also believes that there won't be two contenders to the Senate Presidency.

"Sa palagay ko hindi mangyayari," said Drilon, who himself was reportedly a top candidate for the job.

There are reports that NP's Alan Peter Cayetano may try to seek the Senate presidency.

Drilon said the formal election of a new set of officers for the 16th Congress will be on July 22.

He also assured that in the next Congress, the administration coalition will remain intact.

"All of us would like to see our country move forward, leaving behind us the election disagreements and start moving forward as we have lots of work to do," Drilon said.