Eye Opener
By Rodolfo P. Gumabong

Drilon still Ilonggo kingpin

Despite the crucial July 8 event wherein GMA did not heed Senate President Franklin Drilon's call for resignation, the Ilonggo senator from Molo is still considered the undisputable leader of the people of Western Visayas. For Iloilo alone, Drilon had brought more than P5 billion projects such as the Justice Avancena Hall of Justice building, the modern Arrastre building, the paseo along Muelle Loney, the bridges at La Paz, Jalandoni-Navitasan, the new provincial capitol, the multi-billion peso Iloilo International Airport, the Baluarte additional school building, hall of justice buildings in Antique, Aklan, Capiz and Negros Occidental and many other infrastructure projects worth millions of pesos.

Senate President Drilon, President of the Liberal Party, called GMA to step down last July 8 when former President Cory Aquino, the Makati Business Club and the Association of Sisters in Metro Manila also made the same move. Drilon may not be toppled as head of the senate as there are four LP senators and eleven opposition senators. Only 13 senators are required to make Drilon the senate head again. But let's watch the event when Congress resumes its regular session next week.

By that time, who knows GMA may have joined her husband in exile in the U.S. But the big question is: Who will succeed GMA if Noli de Castro will also step down? Will Drilon as the number 3 man in the order become temporary care taker?