Drilon welcomes LP decision
Ilonggo Senator Franklin has welcomed the decision of the Liberal Party to field Senator Francis Pangilinan as the party’s candidate for the Senate presidency.
The LP announced their choice in a press conference Friday night after weeks of deliberations.
Drilon said the LP agreed on their candidate to help President Benigno Simeon Aquino III push for his legislative agenda.
“It was because of a consensus that we did not find difficulty in arriving at the process in finding Kiko as our candidate,” Drilon was quoted as saying in a news report.
Drilon, who was elected on a fresh mandate in the May 10 elections, also said he had a good working relationship with Pangilinan.
Pangilinan expressed his appreciation for Drilon’s move to give way for the top position of the Senate.
”Our country has a lot of problem and now is the time for unity. I hope will get the magic number,” Pangilinan said.
The LP has four members in the Senate including him and Drilon as well as Ralph Recto and neophyte Teofisto Guingona Jr.
A candidate for the Senate presidency needs a total of 13 votes to win.
Pangilinan is expected to face tough opposition against defeated presidential candidate and former Senate president Manny Villar.
Villar has already the support of Senators Loren Legarda, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Joker Arroyo, and Bongbong Marcos, another neophyte senator who ran under Villar’s Nacionalista Party.
The bloc of Senator Edgardo Angara has six members, including Senators Ramon Revilla, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Gringo Honasan, Tito Sotto III and Lito Lapid.
However, Angara said has no plan to seek the Senate highest post and opted to support either Villar or Pangilinan, depending on who meet their criteria.
