Lobbying for top Senate post expected to start after proclamations

MANILA, Philippines - Lobbying by those vying to be the next Senate president is expected to start as soon all 12 new senators are proclaimed.

“You start to talk to your colleagues if you’re interested. That’s what it means,” said Sen. Franklin Drilon.

The seat of the Senate president and other positions in the Senate will be vacant when the current session of Congress ends on June 6.

“It could be the present officers in the 15th Congress who will be elected anew or somebody else. So it is new in that sense because they must have the fresh mandate of the senators and the congressmen of the 16th Congress,” Drilon said.

Drilon is among the likely candidates for the position, having previously held the post.

Team PNoy candidates and even local officials have referred to Drilon as the next Senate president during the campaign.

Drilon would neither confirm nor deny his intention to seek the post.

In the incoming regular session of Congress, the Senate would have four Liberal Party (LP) members – Teofisto Guingona III, Ralph Recto, newly proclaimed Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Drilon.

Re-elected Sens. Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV and Aquilino Pimentel III and neophytes Grace Poe and Juan Edgardo Angara ran under the LP-led administration coalition.

If Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar maintains her 10th place ranking in the canvass of votes, the administration could count on at least 12 senators as allies.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III is also a known ally of the President.

Aquino, Angara and Poe earlier expressed their support for Drilon’s leadership.

“I think it’s already been said that they’re expecting change in the Senate leadership because the expectation is there’ll be a leader whose sort of more affiliated or identified with the Palace,” Angara said.