Drilon to woo opposition with committee posts

Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday that the majority would try to increase its numbers for a more stable leadership structure in the chamber through, among other things, offer of choice committee chairmanships.

The People Power Coalition (PPC) leads the opposition Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Puwersa by a mere plurality of two votes in the 24-member chamber.

"That is worth a try. We will continually try to strengthen our ranks," Drilon said.

At the same time, he stressed that the PPC has not yet decided on the allocation of committee chairmanships to opposition senators.

The PPC is reportedly keen on recruiting Sen. Rodolfo Biazon and Sen. Sergio Osmeña III by dangling choice committees – defense for Biazon, and agriculture for Osmeña.

"Our edge is only two and this makes the majority shaky. We will be more comfortable if it will be 15-9," said Senate President Pro Tempore Manuel Villar.

Biazon voted for the opening of the controversial second envelope on the Jose Velarde account during the impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada, but he said this should not be taken as an indication of his political leanings.

He said he would stick it out with the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino after the party decided to undertake constructive cooperation with the Arroyo administration.

Osmeña, on the other hand, ran under the PPC in the May elections where he placed third, but joined the opposition by voting against Drilon, the PPC candidate for Senate president.

Sen. John Osmeña said that he is probably a lone voice in the majority calling for the harnessing of the talents of opposition senators in committees "without preconditions." He said that it is to the best interest of the Senate if the best talents could be properly used in committee assignments.

"Right now, we don’t have chairmen for defense, agriculture and foreign affairs," he pointed out.

Sources said Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. would get the defense committee if Biazon would not join the majority. There is still no decision on who would head the agriculture committee, formerly headed by Sergio Osmeña himself. Aside from Osmeña, Sen. Edgardo Angara, a former agriculture secretary, is also well qualified to head the committee.

Angara, president of the LDP, expressed confidence that nobody among the 11 opposition senators would give up his or her party affiliation just to get a choice committee.