Drilon: Senate should regain trust

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Franklin Drilon was elected Senate President of the 16th Congress, ending months of speculation as to who would lead the predominantly pro-administration chamber.

Drilon’s return to the post that he held for five years comes as the Senate faces several questions about its integrity as an institution because of the way its funds were spent in the 15th Congress.

During the last months of the Senate presidency of Juan Ponce Enrile, the chamber came under fire for the use of its savings, the proliferation of oversight committees, and more recently the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) of some senators.

Drilon acknowledged these challenges and said that efforts must be made to restore the trust of the people in the Senate.

“We recognize that the events in the past months have affected the perception of the people on the Senate. The institution has been affected,” Drilon said after being elected.

“It thus becomes our individual and collective obligation to bring back the confidence of the people into this vital institution of democracy. And the only way to do this is to work harder and to show to our people that we deserve their mandate and trust,” he added.

Drilon also emphasized that the Senate must work for the welfare and general well-being of the people and so they must “work harder to provide them with opportunities and choices to enable them to live with dignity and honor.”

This would be the fourth stint of Drilon as Senate president. He first held the position in 2000, taking over from the late Blas Ople, who was appointed foreign affairs secretary.

Drilon was subsequently ousted after leaving the majority bloc but was reelected in 2001 and remained Senate president until 2006 when he turned over the post to then Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. as part of a term-sharing agreement.

Senators Juan Edgardo Angara and Grace Poe nominated Drilon as Senate president at the start of yesterday’s first plenary session for the 16th Congress.

Angara described Drilon as “a lawmaker’s lawmaker,” and a man who has held the most prestigious leadership positions in the Senate, including majority leader and chairman of the committees on justice, finance and Blue Ribbon.

“His knowledge of government operations is vast, as shown when he sponsored the law reorganizing government corporations. As chair of the finance committee, he was well-known for explaining the arcana of government budgeting in terms easily comprehensible to all,” Angara said.

Poe said that the Senate, being a position of service, needs a leader who could respond to all the challenges brought before the institution.

“Drilon is a leader who can be a meaningful Senate president but also a diligent patriot as well who, for the most part, will think of the welfare of the citizens to whom we are all accountable, the integrity of the institution and the greatness of this nation,” Poe said.

Binay nominates Enrile, but Enrile votes Drilon

Enrile, meanwhile, was nominated as Senate president by Sen. Nancy Binay, who said that the Senate needs a leader with “integrity, clarity of vision and independence.”

“The challenges that we face demand from the Senate the same independence that has earned the respect and support of the Filipino people. Our choice for Senate president must be a testament to our independence as an institution. I therefore respectfully nominate Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as Senate president,” she said.

Binay is part of the United Nationalist Alliance that has as its leaders former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Enrile.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who was Senate president pro-tempore under Enrile, defended the previous leadership of the Senate, which he said made it a point to fix whatever problem the institution faced.

“During the time of Senate President Enrile, when the institution was damaged, he made it a point to fix it. I hope that the new Senate president, Senate President Drilon, will also do the same. Just like the scam involving five senators and several members of Congress,” Estrada said.

Senators pose for the cameras at the opening of the 16th Congress at the Batasang Pambansa yesterday. MANNY MARCELO

“We are willing to face any investigation because I was one of those who implicated in that P10-billion scam. I have nothing to hide,” he added.

Drilon emerged as the winner after getting 17 votes, against six for Enrile.

The six senators who voted for Enrile were Drilon, Binay, Gregorio Honasan, Estrada, JV Ejercito and Vicente Sotto III.

Enrile voted for Drilon, who could have gotten 18 votes but Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago was on leave because of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Recto, Cayetano elected

Elected as Senate president pro-tempore was Ralph Recto, who was nominated by Sen. Francis Escudero.

“Having logged 18 years of service in the legislature, two years of hard labor in the Cabinet, in addition to being a provincial consultant, pro bono, the one I am nominating today has certainly paid his dues and earned  his right to be promoted for a podium position,” Escudero said.

“I think it is time for us to ensconce him in the rocking chair up there that we reserve for senior members of this chamber,” he added.

Recto said that the new Senate leadership has to focus on instituting reforms, including the use of funds, in order to cut down on the expenditures of the institution.

He also cited the need to rationalize the oversight committees in the Senate, the number of which has increased over the years.

“It’s a team effort. The real leader of the Senate is the Senate president. We’ll be his backstop. My job is also to assist the majority leader in ensuring that administration bills are passed by the Senate,” Recto said.