Sen. Escudero muling nahalal bilang Senate president

NANATILI si Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero sa kanyang posisyon bilang pinakamataas na opisyal ng mataas na kapulungan sa 20th Congress matapos makuha ang mayorya ng boto ng mga kapwa senador kahapon.

Nanumpa si Escudero bilang Senate president matapos makakuha ng 19 na boto sa plenaryo, kabilang ang tinaguriang “Duterte bloc,” at sina Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan at Bam Aquino.

Habang limang senador naman kabilang sina Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Loren Legarda, at Panfilo “Ping” Lacson ang bumoto pabor kay Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Si Senador Jinggoy Estrada ay muling nahalal bilang Senate president pro tempore, habang si Senador Joel Villanueva ang magsisilbi pa rin bilang Senate majority leader.

Sa kanyang talumpati, binigyang-diin ni Escudero na hindi siya nag-iisa ang Senado na mamumuno at hindi iisang kamay ang tatahakin ng kamara, kundi 24 na ulo.

“We should not and cannot respond to every comment. We should rise above any anger, resentment, and bitterness we may have. We should move on, move forward, and must continue to do our job,” sabi ni Escudero.

“We should not and cannot bow to a mob. We will not be cowed by the shrillest of voices. We will stand up for what is right, what is just, and what is consistent with the Rule of Law and our Constitution. That we disagree does not mean that you are right and I am wrong, or that I am right and you are wrong,” patuloy niya.

“In place of the colors that divide us, let us embrace the colors that truly matter. The colors that define who we are as a nation, the colors on the flag that hangs before us,” pahayag ni Escudero.

“Isa siyang paalala, hindi tayo nandito para sa sarili nating interes, o sa interes ng isang partido o indibidwal. Isa po siyang paalala na nandito tayo para maglingkod—buong dangal buong puso at buong katapatan—para sa ating minamahal na Inang bayan,” dagdag niya.

Sa session, hinirang ni Zubiri si Sotto bilang kanilang Minority Floor Leader, na tinanggap naman ng huli.

“I have been a good soldier of this August body since 1992. I am always honored by any position entrusted to me by my esteemed colleagues. So I pledge to perform the duties and responsibilities of being the Minority Leader,” wika ni Sotto.

Samantala, ipinaliwanag ni Pangilinan na nagpasya siyang iboto si Escudero at sumali sa mayorya ng Senado sa hangaring makuha ang chairmanship ng Senate committee on agriculture. (Mylene Alfonso)