Drilon confident he’ll keep post

Senate President Franklin Drilon is confident of retaining his post when the next Congress convenes in July.

"The Senate is a continuing body, so the present leadership stays unlike in the House of Representatives where the Speaker’s term ends on June 30 because the composition of the congressmen is entirely new," Drilon said.

Unless his colleagues decide to initiate a power grab against him, Drilon said he expects to retain his post.

The House is scheduled to elect a new speaker and other leaders such as deputy speakers, majority and minority leaders, and committee chairmen once the 13th Congress opens in July.

Since most of the senators are with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats ruling party, Drilon said any attempt to unseat him would fail.

At present, the administration senators whose terms are scheduled to expire in 2007 are Drilon, Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, Senators Joker Arroyo, Noli De Castro, Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Ralph Recto and Manuel Villar.

On the opposition side are Senators Panfilo Lacson, Edgardo Angara, Luisa Ejercito and Sergio Osmeña III.

The victory of K-4 senatorial bets Pia Cayetano, Richard Gordon, Lito Lapid, Ramon Revilla Jr., Manuel Roxas II and Miriam Defensor-Santiago in the just concluded elections solidifies the Arroyo administration’s control of the Senate.

Five from the opposition won a Senate seat: re-electionist Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim and Jamby Madrigal.

The last slot of the so-called "Magic 12" senatorial race winners is still being contested by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon and Sen. Robert Barbers, both with the administration.

The administration will have 16 senators in the next Congress while the opposition will have eight.

But if De Castro wins the vice presidential race, the administration will have 15 senators.