The Senate will hold a caucus today to finalize the details for the turnover of the chamber's leadership from Senate President Blas Ople to Senate Majority Leader Franklin Drilon.
Drilon's assumption of the post in accordance with a power-sharing agreement with Ople is already assured with a majority of the senators signing a resolution in support of Drilon.
While Drilon's ascendancy is certain, a new hitch has developed in the choice of the majority leader and chairman of the foreign relations committee under the Drilon administration.
Sen. Francisco Tatad, who was asked by Drilon to become the new majority leader, is still hedging because he would have to give up his current post as chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations.
His committee chairmanship is expected to revert to Ople, who will also regain his old post as Senate President Pro Tempore.
A majority leader, as chairman of the rules committee, is ex officio member of all standing committees.
Sen. John Osmeña said that because of this, Tatad might have to yield his committee chairmanship.
Tatad however indicated he would not be giving up the foreign relations committee that easily.
Tatad pointed out that under Senate rules, even the Senate President Pro Tempore cannot be a committee chairman.
"They have to justify why the Senate President Pro Tempore can become a committee chairman and the majority leader cannot," he said.
He said that the rules of the Senate should be enforced consistently.
Drilon expressed confidence, however, that everything would be ironed out before his formal election as Senate President on Wednesday.
Under the power sharing agreement forged in Malacañang after the death of Senate President Marcelo Fernan in June last year, Ople and Drilon would have a tenure of nine months.
Ople's tenure was supposed to end on April 17 but Congress would be on Lenten recess during that time, so it was shortened to April 12. --