Drilon confident of stay as Senate president
By Ronilo L. Pamonag
Senate President Franklin Drilon said over the weekend that he would continue to be the country's number three despite having withdrawn support from President Arroyo over ‘political compromises.' “I will still continue to be Senate president,” Drilon declared Sunday during a radio interview.
He said that he still enjoys the support of the 13 senators, whom he did not name but composes the majority of the upper house.
Drilon could probably be referring to the 13 pro-administration senators, who are Senators Juan Flavier, Joker Arroyo, Richard Gordon, Manuel Lapid, Manuel Roxas II, Ramon Revilla, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Pia Cayetano, Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Manuel Villar Jr., Rodolfo Biazon, Ralph Recto and Francis Pangilinan.
He said that his post was ‘a gift of the thirteen senators.'
“Who has the support of these 13 senators has the seat of the Senate president,” Drilon said.
Whether he will remain as Senate president when the 13 th Congress resumes session next week is left to the 13 senators, he said.
At present, however, Drilon said that there are no moves to unseat him.
“I have not yet known of any movement to get the support of the 13 senators (away from me),” he stressed.
He added that he still honors the ‘personal commitment' with Villar regarding a term sharing agreement.
Under their ‘gentleman's agreement,' Drilon is to be Senate president until July 2006, after which he will turn his post over to Villar, who will be president until 2007.
“I will support Villar as Senate president. I will honor my commitment,” Drilon said.
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