(Eagle News) — The Palace on Monday, May 21, expressed its “willingness to work” with the next Senate president.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement minutes after Senator Koko Pimentel stepped down as leader of the chamber and nominated Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto as his replacement.
“Whoever the senators may choose as their Senate President, we assure the incoming Senate President of our willingness to work with him as we recognize naman that whoever the new Senate President would also be a close ally of the Palace,” Roque said.
Pimentel stepped down days after 15 senators signed a resolution seeking for a reorganization of the Senate.
Those who signed the resolution were Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senator Sonny Angara, Senator Loren Legarda, Senator JV Ejercito, Senator Nancy Binay, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Senator Francis Escudero, Senator Richard Gordon, Senator Gregorio Honasan, Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Joel Villanueva, Senator Cynthia Villar and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Honasan said the idea was to ensure “continuity” in the Senate, given Pimentel’s plans to run for a Senate seat in 2019.
Binay has said it was best for the Senate president to not seek reelection so politics would not be in the picture.