Senate news

“We must all move forward because the country needs us to move forward.” This was part of the privilege speech made by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile when he tendered his irrevocable resignation last June 5.

A very colorful political figure, Enrile will be remembered for his brilliant handling of the Corona impeachment trial as well as for his infamous role during the Marcos' martial law regime. News about his generous bonuses, the so-called cash gifts, to fellow Senate members must have turned the voters against him and his son, among other reasons that he eloquently explained to his colleagues and to the nation.

As a shrewd politician, he clearly declared: “Old age may have physically impaired my vision. But let me assure all of you: I can still see and read clearly the handwriting on the wall. I need not be told by anyone when it is time for me to go.”

For sure, this will not be the last we will hear from and about Juan Ponce Enrile. Until then, may the former Senate President find peace, with God, in his heart.

A day after Enrile's irrevocable resignation, a very tired Senator Vicente Sotto III also resigned as Senate majority leader of the 15th Congress. He said, “I don't think I can top the blood, sweat, tears, and effort of the last 3 years.”

In the following days, the next Senate President and the Senate majority leader as well as committee chairpersons for the 16th Congress will be known. This early, Senator Franklin Drilon is being touted as Enrile's successor.

With nine Liberal Party winners among the senatorial candidates, that will not be difficult to swing. Comelec released the final tally for the 2013 senatorial race as follows: Grace Poe with 20,337,327 votes, followed by Legarda with more than 18 million votes. Cayetano and Escudero garnered more than 17 million votes, followed by Binay and Angara with more than 16 million votes. Aquino got more than 15 million followed by Pimentel and Trillanes with more than 14 million votes and Villar, Ejercito and Honasan with more than 13 million votes.

Grace Poe Llamanzares unexpectedly breezed through as the front runner defying all pre-election surveys and forecasts. Her triumphant victory is viewed as a vindication of her father's loss in the last presidential election vs. GMA. Did the unexpected massive votes for her confirm that the Filipino voters believed that her father, Fernando Poe Jr., the king of cinema, would have been President of this country had all the votes cast for him been honestly counted and canvassed? Will this country have a POE as the next president? That will depend on how the Filipinos will assess her performance in the halls of Congress. That will also depend on how Roxas, Binay, and other contenders will make their moves from here on.

We hope that before the next elections, our people will learn to vote more wisely, that Comelec will start preparing as early as now to correct the mistakes and problems related to clean and honest elections, that elected officials truly serve this country and the truly needy as priority.

It is not Enrile alone who needs to move forward.  We all need to move forward because our country, our people needs us to move forward.

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