Colleagues drum up support for Villar’s Senate presidency

Senators allied with Senate President-in waiting Manuel Villar Jr. are working to gain support for Villar to ensure that the gentleman’s agreement between Senate President Franklin Drilon and Villar will be followed.

A source in the Senate said an administration senator is now preparing a draft of the resolution that will formalize support for Villar as the next Senate president during the Third Regular Session of the 13th Congress in July, as Villar and Drilon had agreed.

"The resolution will affirm support for Villar, as agreed upon," the source said. The resolution is expected to be passed around to other senators for their signatures over the next two weeks, before the Senate adjourns sine die on June 9.

While Drilon said he will abide by the gentleman’s agreement, he added that Villar must pass through the process of obtaining at least 13 majority votes of support.

Villar remained tight-lipped on the issue of the Senate presidency, saying he is leaving the matter up to Drilon and their colleagues in the chamber.

He said he is confident that his colleagues will support his bid for the helm of the Senate, which President Arroyo had promised him two years ago but gave to Drilon.

Responding to journalists’ queries of whether or not he could muster the needed votes to gain the Senate presidency, Villar replied: "Why not?"

An informal count indicated that Villar may get the support of Drilon, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier and Sen. Ralph Recto.

A few weeks ago, however, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel said the race for the top Senate slot is still anybody’s game, the term-sharing agreement between Drilon and Villar notwithstanding.

"The issue of who will lead the Senate will be decided on the basis of which group or aspirant has the numbers to win the fight," Pimentel said.

He did not discount the possibility that the status quo may prevail if nobody can muster the 13 votes needed to wrest control of the Senate leadership from Drilon, adding that there is no party or group within the Senate that has enough votes to elect a new Senate president.

"Drilon has maybe five senators; Villar, four; the opposition (has) seven; and, unidentified flying objects, seven," Pimentel said. "The Senate presidency is anybody’s ballgame."

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile also said the matter of the Senate presidency is one of "numbers" despite the gentleman’s agreement between Villar and Drilon.

"The Senate presidency is a function of the chamber and it is a question of numbers," Enrile said. "If Frank Drilon, being a party to the gentleman’s agreement, will voluntarily relinquish (his presidency of the Senate), then Manny Villar will be free to seek the position. I do not know if there is anyone to challenge him."

Enrile said he is confident Drilon will also support Villar: "I suppose even the Senate president will now support (Villar) if (Drilon) finally decides to honor his commitment. I am sure that those who voted for (Drilon), presumptively, (will vote for) Villar."

In another development, Villar retained his post as the country’s richest senator as his 2005 statement of assets and liabilities (SALN) has been released to the media. His wife, Las Piñas City Rep. Cynthia Villar, is the richest member of the House of Representatives.