New senators back Sotto leadership

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III is expected to retain his post despite the entry of new senators in the coming 18th Congress.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said it has been agreed during preliminary and informal meetings that there will be a status quo in the chamber, at least as far as the top leadership is concerned.

This means that Sotto, Zubiri and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto will remain at their posts in the new Congress, which opens in July.

“It’s only the committees that need to be discussed,” Zubiri told reporters yesterday.

On Saturday, Sen. Manny Pacquiao hosted a dinner in Makati for his partymates in the PDP-Laban including Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and elected senators Christopher Go, former Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald dela Rosa and former political affairs adviser Francis Tolentino.

Also present were presumptive senator-elect Bong Revilla Jr., Sotto, Zubiri, Recto, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., PDP-Laban vice chairman and deputy campaign manager, respectively.

The new senators pledged support for Sotto during the meeting.

Recto said he sees all 20 majority senators voting for Sotto.

Zubiri also disclosed the initial lineup in the reorganization of committees as several will be left vacant with some senators ending their terms or having lost their bids for reelection.