Sotto ‘guilty as charged’ for being strict as SP

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Vicente Sotto III yesterday said he is “guilty as charged” if his colleagues in the 20th Congress do not want him back as Senate President for being strict during his previous term.

Sotto made the statement amid speculations that he might lose the Senate presidency contest to Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero due to some senators’ concerns over his strict leadership style when he was Senate president from 2018 to 2022.

“‘Masyadong istrikto (Too strict)?’ Guilty as charged,” he said.

Sotto explained that he was a strict Senate president in order to impose order and discipline in the upper chamber.

“I was brought up by the true statesmen of the 8th and 9th Congresses where decency and following rules and procedures abound,” he said.

“If that disqualifies me from the Senate leadership, then so be it!” Sotto added.

Sotto had earlier said he is ready to lead the minority if he loses to Escudero as Senate president.

‘Still friends’

Amid the ongoing leadership race in the Senate, Sen. JV Ejercito said he remains friends with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri despite supporting different candidates for Senate president.

“We were able to talk during a social gathering for the birthday of Toots Angara, and we said, whatever happens, that is just politics,” Ejercito said of his last get-together with Zubiri for the birthday of the wife of another former Senate ally, now Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

“Our friendship is still there. It will never go away,” he added.

Ejercito affirmed their friendship after Zubiri, at a press conference on Monday, expressed ill feelings toward his allies nicknamed the “Seatmate” bloc, after some of them chose to join the majority and support Escudero’s bid to retain the Senate presidency.

Zubiri – who was ousted from the Senate presidency by Escudero last year – is now part of the newly formed “Veterans” bloc with Ping Lacson, Loren Legarda, Lito Lapid and Sotto.

Ejercito and Sherwin Gatchalian, who once backed Zubiri during his ouster, later joined the Senate majority under Escudero during the 19th Congress. Ejercito served as deputy majority leader while Gatchalian chaired the Senate basic education committee.

He is expected to retain his post as deputy majority leader after being among the 15 or more senators who signed a resolution supporting Escudero’s continued Senate leadership.

Ejercito said he understood Zubiri’s sentiments, especially with Zubiri noting he might be the only “Seatmate” to join the “Veterans” bloc, which may transition into the Senate minority if Sotto assumes the role of minority leader.

“It is understandable because of our different positions now. As I mentioned, we have talked, and told him, whatever happens, we will always be friends and brothers,” Ejercito said.

In a separate interview, Zubiri said he would not resent it if Lapid decides to support Escudero and remain in the majority instead of joining the minority under Sotto.

“We don’t want to force him to join us in the minority if Tito Sotto does not win. We told him, it’s OK for him to join the majority,” Zubiri said.

‘24 republics’

Adding another layer to the Senate leadership debate, former Senate president Franklin Drilon lamented the absence of a true political party system in the upper chamber, calling the Senate a “confederation of 24 republics.”

In an interview on “Storycon” over One News, Drilon said the ongoing scramble for Senate leadership highlights the fluidity of political affiliations, where senators prioritize personal agendas over party principles.

“There are no political parties to talk of. In the Senate, there are 24 political parties. Let’s not kid each other,” said Drilon. “Each senator is a separate political party.”

He traced the collapse of the traditional two-party system to martial law, when the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. abolished political parties.

“What we have today are politicians pretending to be in parties, but they’re all acting independently,” he said.

Drilon noted that even senators perceived as opposition figures joining the majority bloc reflects how the lines between allies and critics of the administration have blurred.

“There’s no real opposition or administration bloc. Each senator wants to project his or her own program or policies,” Drilon said. “The platform has become personal.”

Asked about Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino joining the majority, Drilon defended their decision, saying they are staying true to their advocacies on food security and education by heading relevant committees.

“They didn’t switch directions. They are pursuing the same advocacies they stood for during the campaign,” Drilon said.

“Again, this only proves my point: there’s no real political party system,” he added.

Despite the rise of super majorities and shifting alliances, Drilon said it is incorrect to assume that the Senate majority automatically backs either President Marcos or former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“Look at Sen. Chiz Escudero’s supporters, most of them are identified with the Duterte camp. Yet they’re said to be part of the Senate majority. These lines are crossed,” he said.

Still, Drilon maintained that the Liberal Party remains a “serious political party,” although he admitted its relevance is “debatable” in the current political landscape. — Mark Ernest Villeza