Word of honor

Whatever was agreed upon between Senate president Franklin Drilon and Sen.Manuel Villar was something that personally binded the two of them together. In particular, Drilon and Villar entered into some kind of a "gentlemen’s agreement" of term-sharing on the Senate presidency. And the terms of this agreement are now up for compliance by both sides, especially on the part of Drilon.

While there is no question both Drilon and Villar would like to live up to their personal commitments, I think they forgot to include that this is subject to the consensus of the rest of their colleagues in the Senate. This is now what complicates the matter since the 23 senators are said to be an "independent republics."

There should be no problem in the implementation of the term-sharing agreement because there had been precedents of the same kind. When former Senate President Marcelo Fernan passed away, Drilon aspired to succeed him. But then President Joseph Estrada sent word through his trusted lieutenants at the Senate about his preference to install the late Sen. Blas Ople to succeed Fernan. This naturally got the hackles of Drilon who had not forgiven Estrada for this. But to appease the angry fellow Senator, Ople suggested to divide the remaining term of Fernan between the two of them.

A respected senator like Ople did not have any problem convincing his fellow senators to honor this term-sharing agreement he forged with Drilon. A gentleman through and through, Ople stepped down from the Senate presidency not a minute longer than agreed on, and the Senate elected Drilon to take over. But it was Drilon’s own making when he was forced to give up the Senate presidency shortly after he took over. This was when Drilon went all out to support the impeachment case against Estrada even before this was elevated to the Senate. As Senate President, Drilon was supposed to preside as Senators-jurors in the impeachment trial of Estrada. So to preserve the impartiality of the body, the senators elected Sen.Aquilino Pimentel Jr. as their new Senate Pesident. It was after then Speaker Villar manuevered the automatic transmission of the impeachment case against Estrada during that tumultuous House session. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Why do we have to dig up these past events, which are now part of modern Philippine history, while at the same time discussing the present situation at the Senate? This is for us to better understand and appreciate the dynamics of these issues and the personalities involved. Obviously, the principal players are the same people and leaders we still have today.

In the resumption last week of his testimony on his plunder trial at the Sandiganbayan, Estrada recounted what he believed was the "conspiracy" of several elected officials, including his former vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a number of high-profile personalities who were behind the military-backed EDSA-2 that led to his ouster from Malacañang Palace.

Naturally, the Palace vehemently denied any involvement of Mrs.Arroyo in Estrada’s conspiracy theory. But the Palace submitted the argument that Mrs.Arroyo was merely the "beneficiary" of EDSA-2, she being the vice president and the Constitutional successor of Estrada. In hindsight, the deposed president realized too late he should not have relied on the words of these people who betrayed him. Estrada has already blamed himself for being "over confident" when he ignored the intelligence information about the activities of certain military generals and civilians plotting to overthrow him.

Both Drilon and Villar have made peace with Estrada several years after the deposed President was removed from office during the so-called EDSA-2 in January 2001. "I have forgiven all of them, but I have not forgotten (what they did to me)," Estrada said.

Drilon sought reconciliation with Estrada when he accompanied his former boss, ex-President Corazon Aquino twice or thrice during thanksgiving masses they attended together with Estrada at the San Juan Medical Center. Their coming together was the result of their finding a common cause: to press the resignation from office of President Arroyo following her "I am sorry" declaration on the celebrated "Hello Garci" wiretapping controversy.

On the other hand, Villar, accompanied by his wife, Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar, I heard, have visited Estrada in his rest house detention in Tanay, Rizal two or three times already. We could only speculate whatever was talked about during those Tanay visits by the Villar couple.

Although detained for more than five years now while undergoing plunder trial, Estrada remains the titular head of the Unified Opposition. This is not to mention the fact that he counts at least two votes in the Senate, namely from his wife, former First Lady now Sen. Loi Ejercito and their eldest son, Sen.Jinggoy Estrada. The Estradas are also allies of Senators Pimentel, Juan Ponce-Enrile, Alfredo Lim, and Jamby Madrigal.

Villar needs 13 votes as majority to be elected Senate president. Villar, who is the president of the Nacionalista Party, has developed through the years his own "win-win" formula and this has improved his political stocks. He should not have problems to win over to his side, Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Sergio Osmeña III, Pia Cayetano, Richard Gordon, and Lito Lapid. He is also counting on the support of his so-called "Wednesday Group" composed of Senators Ralph Recto and Joker Arroyo. Sen.Juan Flavier, who is a Lakas-CMD, has reportedly authored the draft Senate Resolution to endorse Villar’s bid to the Senate presidency. If he means what he says, Drilon, as the president of the Liberal Party (LP) hopes to deliver the votes of his fellow LP colleagues in the Senate, namely, Senate majority leader Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Mar Roxas II.

The second regular sessions of the 13th Congress will adjourn sine die this coming Friday. Last week, Drilon issued public statements that he intends to fulfil his commitment to Villar and that he is now quietly talking with their Senate colleagues to support this "gentlemen’s agreement" through a Senate Resolution that should be passed, ideally before the sine die adjournment.

If these gentlemen still value their words of honor, Villar would be able to assume the post of Senate president at the ceremonial joint opening of the third and last sessions of the 13th Congress on July 24 this year. With new impeachment threat against her, will President Arroyo be more comfortable with Villar as Senate President?

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