‘MAY PRINSIPYO:’ CAYETANO EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR ESCUDERO AS SENATE PRESIDENT

SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday said he is supporting Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to continue leading the Senate but emphasized that the race for the chamber’s top post remains fluid.

“I’m supporting Senate President Escudero. I think maganda ang takbo nitong last year,” Cayetano said in a media interview on Thursday.

“Walang perfect na majority, walang perfect na senators or Senate President. ‘Pag nakita mo na may energy, may vision, may prinsipyo (ganoon dapat),” he added.

He noted that Escudero appears to have the numbers with a month left before the opening of the 20th Congress in late July, past Senate leadership contests have shown how fast alliances can shift.

“Until that morning (start of the 20th Congress), lahat pwedeng mangyari. Pwedeng magkaroon ng bagong kandidato, pwedeng magkaroon ng bagong koalisyon,” he said.

Cayetano also said there are other potential contenders for the Senate presidency but only Escudero has so far talked to him.

“Y’ung iba, nababasa ko lang (sa balita),” he said.

Despite ongoing talks about Senate leadership, Cayetano said he is also preparing for possible changes in committee chairmanships during the expected reorganization.

“Yung present kong committees marami, so may bibitawan ako. Wala pa naman akong tinitingnan exactly, but syempre, y’ung Blue Ribbon, Justice Committee, anything for lawyers, nandyan din ‘yan,” he said.

“Sabi ko lang kay Senate President Escudero, basta lahat ng pang-abogado, available ako. Pero hindi naman parang ‘take it or leave it,’” he added.

Cayetano currently chairs the Senate Committees on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education; Science and Technology; Accounts; and Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

The Senate is expected to finalize its leadership lineup and committee assignments when it opens the 20th Congress in the last week of July.