QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) – Senator Franklin Drilon is the new Senate minority leader.
It was Senator Benigno Paolo Aquino IV who nominated Drilon, the Senate president pro-tempore until he was ousted on Monday.
Aquino’s motion was seconded by Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
Drilon, for his part, nominated Aquino as his Senate assistant minority leader.
Senator Leila De Lima, who is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center, meanwhile, expressed her decision to join the minority bloc in the Senate in a letter addressed to Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
“This is to give notice that I am formally withdrawing from the majority…,” she said.
After the re-organization, Drilon, Aquino, De Lima and Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes IV comprise the new minority.
The re-organization came following the ouster of Liberal Party senators and their ally from committee chairmanships and the post of Senate president pro-tempore on Monday.
Eagle News Service