Enrile ready to step down

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has accepted the fact that he may have to step down from his post and there would be an impending change in the composition of the Senate as the electorate elects a new batch of 12 senators next year.

“I am ready to step down. I have to accept the fact that I am 89 years old and it’s taking a toll on my body,” he said in a radio interview yesterday.

Enrile, who was elected Senate President in 2008, said he will likely be staying on in his post until June or July, until a new majority takes over the helm at the start of the first regular session of the 16th Congress.

However, he did not discount the possibility that senatorial candidates of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) might make up the new majority, if they win in the 2013 elections.

“If they will still choose me as the leader of the Senate then I will be grateful, but I’m not looking forward to that. I will leave it to the members of the Senate to choose who they want to guide the Senate during the next 16th Congress,” Enrile said.

He agrees with the assertion of Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III that UNA bets are enjoying high approval ratings in surveys.

“Based on the survey, that could be right. But one cannot be sure because we still have a period of 90 days of exposure of the various candidates to the public, so there could still be changes in the composition on who will be making it to the top 12,” Enrile said.

Among the re-electionist senators, he believes that Senators Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda and Alan Peter Cayetano will get new mandates from the people.

“As for the new candidates, it really depends on the impression of the voters and how they will vote. Nothing is definite yet during the elections,” said Enrile, whose son Rep. Jack Enrile is seeking a senatorial seat under the UNA banner.