(Eagle News) — He made the Senate his own boxing ring, so to speak.
Senator Manny Pacquiao on Monday knocked Liberal Party senators and their ally out of their committee chairmanships and the Senate Pro-Tempore post, paving the way for a new minority bloc in the Upper House.
During the session, the senator who rose to international fame because of his strong punches and agility in the boxing ring, stood up and moved to first have the post of Senate President Pro-Tempore held by Senator Franklin Drilon vacated.
Drilon, who did not oppose the motion, was replaced by Senator Ralph Recto.
Pacquiao then moved to remove the heads of committees who are Liberal Party senators:
Senator Risa Hontiveros, a member of the Akbayan party that is closely allied with LP, was replaced by Senator JV Ejercito in the committee on health; while Senator Cynthia Villar replaced Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Liberal Party President, in the committee on agriculture.
Francis “Chiz” Escudero is now the chairman of the committee on education, replacing Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is temporarily the leader of the minority bloc.
“Kapag magmamartsa ka at sasabihin mong kailangang panatilihin ang demokrasya at kalayaan sa ating bansa ay masasampolan ka talaga,” Aquino said in an ambush interview.
Hontiveros, for her part, said she welcomed the changes in the Senate.
“Kung ang pananatili ko sa mayorya ay ang pagiging kasabwat ko sa isang rehimen na marahas at walang pag-respeto sa karapatang pantao ay buong puso kong tinatanggap ang maging bahagi ng minorya,” she said.
In a statement, Vice President Leni Robredo, the highest-ranking government official who is a member of the LP, said the developments were proof that the administration, “despite (their) sincere efforts,” was “incapable of tolerating dissent, no matter how constructive.”
But in a statement, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the ouster was done because “clear lines have to be drawn.”
He said the majority of senators made the decision “to best achieve the Senate’s legislative agenda.”
“Work in the Senate has been hampered by the blurring of the lines between the majority and the minority to the detriment of public interest. There have been instances where the majority, instead of closing ranks, ended up divided,” Pimentel, president of the ruling political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan, said.
He noted that the Senate “will remain independent and true to its role as the last bastion of democracy in our country.”
