Image from Cayetano’s Facebook page - Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s ‘demands’ reportedly turned off many senators
- Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III revealed Cayetano seems to want to dictate who gets what in the Senate committee chairmanship
- The senators were supposedly not happy with Cayetano and decided to support Senator Koko Pimentel instead
MANILA, Philippines – A ‘demanding’ Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has reportedly turned off many of his colleagues that most of them decided not to support his bid for the Senate presidency, this was recently revealed by Senator-elect Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III.
According to Sotto, a meeting with Cayetano, who is one of the aspirants for the Senate head, did not turn out well because the latter wants to dictate who gets what in the reorganization of the Senate committee chairmanship.
“He talked to us, but during that time, to be candid about it, he already had in mind which positions goes to whom. ‘This position, should not be given to this or to that’. That’s how he put it,” Sotto said in an interview.
For example, the actor-politician narrated, Cayetano does not want returning Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson for the public order and safety chairmanship, or for Loren Legarda to head the finance committee.
Cayetano also supposedly objected to Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao’s heading the committee on games and amusement.
Instead, he wants Senator JV Ejercito to sit as chairman of the committee on public order and safety, and fellow Nacionalista Party (NP) member Senator Cynthia Villar for the finance committee.
Earlier, Cayetano expressed his dislike for Lacson and neophyte senator Leila de Lima, both of whom are vocal critics of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. He said the two may use their committees to block the president’s legislative agenda for the country.
Sotto said Cayetano’s ‘demands’ apparently did not sit well with many senators who chose to support Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III instead to succeed Senate President Franklin Drilon.
“So when we went back to our group, they were not excited about it, not happy about that kind of situation. We decided to explore other possibilities,” Sotto explained.
The meeting with Pimentel was far more productive, Sotto said, as the lawmaker from Mindanao was ‘very open to the dos and don’ts’.
“When we talked to them, there was not much conflict. No conflict at all. No dos and don’ts. They had preferences for their advocacies, that was it,” he added.
There were reportedly 14 senators who have already signed on the resolution electing Pimentel as the next Senate President, although Sotto refused to reveal their names.
It was earlier reported that a reorganized Senate in the 17th Congress will have Pimentel as Senate President, Drilon as Senate President Pro-Tempore and Sotto as Majority Floor Leader.
Whoever runs and loses the Senate presidency bid will end up as the Minority Floor Leader.
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