Senators start back-channel talks on next prexy

MANILA, Philippines - Senators have started back-channel talks in their search for the next Senate president, according to majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.

He said the Nacionalista Party of defeated presidential candidate Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. has sent feelers that it wants to talk with a bloc in the Senate composed of himself, senators Edgardo Angara, Loren Legarda, Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid.

“Actually, it’s still too early at this time (to determine who will be the next Senate president). But we can identify the blocs,” Zubiri said. He called his group the “Bloc of Five.”

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said last week that Villar was interested in getting back the presidency from Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.

The Liberal Party’s Franklin Drilon, himself a former Senate president, and Sen. Francis Pangilinan are also vying for the top Senate post.   

Asked what the Bloc of Five would consider in picking its bet for Senate president, Zubiri said legislative agenda and independence would be the top criteria.

“So it is important that whoever will seek the Senate presidency should come out with his legislative platform and agenda, declaring at the same time if he or she will be a lackey of the Palace or we will just be a rubber stamp of the Palace,” Zubiri said.

The distribution of committee chairmanships would also be a factor in his group’s choice of next Senate leader, Zubiri said.

“The three major blocs would be LP at four (members), the Villar group at six, and our group at five, and then the group of (Vicente) Sotto and (Gregorio) Honasan, and Enrile and Jinggoy (Estrada). It seems that the biggest group emerging is the group of Senator Villar,” Zubiri said.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña left LP during the campaign to protest against the party’s inclusion of former Lakas senator Ralph Recto in its Senate slate.

Senators Joker Arroyo, Defensor-Santiago, Alan and Pia Cayetano, and Senator-elect Bongbong Marcos are with the Villar bloc.

“(The Angara) bloc has been discussing the possible candidate but we have not made up our mind... But we have agreed that we will be (voting) together,” said Zubiri.

But Zubiri said he would be assuming a more independent stance despite being a member of Lakas, citing his disappointment with the way the ruling party was managed during the campaign.

“Personally, I am not identifying myself as a Lakas senator. I would like to be more independent this next Congress. So definitely, I can coalesce with any group at this point in time,” Zubiri said.

“Let’s put it this way, I’d rather be kicked out rather than leave because they will say nagbalimbing ako (I’ve been a turncoat). I am hoping that they will kick me out. But I am very excited to be very independent this next Congress - not leave Lakas but take a more independent stance,” he said.

“Lakas, in order to survive, has to have progressive leaders, a set of new leaders, infusion of young blood,” said Zubiri, who has been a member of the Lakas since 1997, a year before he joined politics.