Drilon, Villar agree to term-sharing for top Senate post

For the third time in the Senate’s history, Senate President Franklin Drilon has agreed yesterday to share his term as head of the chamber, this time with pro-administration Sen. Manuel Villar.

Drilon said he and the former real estate businessman agreed on a sharing scheme to keep the peace in the Senate and the passage of necessary legislation would not be disrupted.

"There is an urgent need to address the looming financial crisis that our country faces. Hence, the need for a united effort of the Senate, particularly the majority coalition, which has been given the mandate of the people," Drilon and Villar declared in a joint statement.

Under their agreement, Drilon will serve during the First and Second Regular Sessions of the 13th Congress, which will begin on July 26. Villar will begin his term in July 2006, when the Third Regular session opens. Their "egos are nothing compared to what we face as a country if we can’t put our act together," Drilon added.

Villar is believed to have the support of the majority of senators if a vote is held.

Drilon said he and Villar want the legislature to start work immediately when sessions begin.

"We don’t want to be bogged down by intramurals," Drilon said. "We belong to the same coalition in support of this administration. Therefore there is no time for all these wranglings among the administration ranks."

Drilon first shared the Senate presidency with the late senator Blas Ople, who later became President Arroyo’s foreign affairs secretary. The agreement stemmed from Ople’s wish to serve as Senate president during the administration of Joseph Estrada.

Ople served from 1999 to 2000 and turned over the reins to Drilon, who was then a member of Estrada’s Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino coalition.

But Drilon’s stint was cut short when Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. staged a coup following Drilon’s decision to bolt the coalition and join the opposition, allied with Mrs. Arroyo.

Pimentel was at the helm until Estrada’s 2001 ouster by a military-backed popular uprising. Estrada was replaced by then vice president Arroyo.

But a shaky situation in the Senate emerged in the wake of Estrada’s ouster with pro-Arroyo senators split between Drilon and the late pro-Arroyo senator Renato Cayetano, both of whom were eyeing the Senate presidency.

To ease tension among pro-Arroyo senators, Cayetano and Drilon agreed to each serve for a year and a half.

But Cayetano’s failing health prevented him from assuming office and required him to travel to the United States for a liver transplant. Cayetano returned to the country last year but died a few weeks later.

Drilon earlier said he would welcome any challenge to his leadership as long as the challenger has the support of the majority. He was optimistic of keeping his post.

Villar said their sharing agreement would put the Senate presidency issue to rest. "We are having many problems, so we thought that it will be good if we will put a period on the Senate presidency issue."

As for Senate Pro Tempore Juan Flavier and Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, they will remain at their posts, Drilon said.