Senate minority will still be a force to reckon with in 18th Congress – Trillanes
By AJ Siytangco
Published Jun 7, 2019 04:23 pm
By Vanne Elaine TerrazolaÂ
Outgoing senators believe that the dominance of administration-allied senators in the 18th Congress will not weaken the Senate minority bloc.
Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV expressed confidence that the minority bloc will remain strong despite being outnumbered by a 20-member majority group in the Upper Chamber in the next Congress.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Trillanes, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, is graduating from his second Senate term. Aside from him, opposition Sen. Bam Aquino will also be leaving the chamber on June 30 after failing in his reelection bid in the recent midterm elections. This will leave only four members of the Senate minority bloc in Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Sen. Leila de Lima, who is detained and cannot participate in the plenary debates. "I believe the minority will still be in good hands," Trillanes said during a news forum in Senate on Thursday. "Nandyan pa rin sila Sen. Frank, si Sen. Kiko at si Sen. Risa -- these are very good legislators and at the same time, very active advocates. So hindi mapipilayan ang minority (the minority bloc will not be handicapped)," he added. Drilon had repeatedly said that the minority bloc will continue to fiscalize in the Senate. Sen. Francis Escudero, a member of the majority, aired the same belief. He said a diminished number of minority senators was not an assurance that the administration's legislative agenda will breeze through the Upper Chamber. "Hindi pa rin naman dahil ang mga naiwang mga miyembro ng Senado na nasa oposisyon ay mga batikang senador (No because the remaining opposition senators in the Senate are all excellent lawmakers)," Escudero said, naming Drilon, Pangilinan and Hontiveros. "Kung makalaya si Senator Leila, matibay na line-up iyon ng oposisyon para matiyak na may check and balance sa pagpasa ng anumang mga batas ng Senado (If ever Sen. Leila gets out of jail, it will be a stronger opposition line-up making sure that there is check and balance in the approval of any laws in Senate)," he added. Besides, the passage of bills in the Senate does not depend on the membership in a bloc or a political party. "Ang boto ang paniniwala, paninindigan ng mga miyembro ng Senado ay hindi naman sinusundan iyong party lines sa mga isyung iyan na malapit sa puso ng bawat isa, pabor man o kontra," he said. Escudero will also be stepping down as a lawmaker after his 21 years in Congress. He is set to be sworn in as the new governor of his bailiwick Sorsogon. Other graduating members of the Upper Chamber are Senators Joseph Victor Ejercito, Loren Legarda, and Gregorio Honasan.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Trillanes, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, is graduating from his second Senate term. Aside from him, opposition Sen. Bam Aquino will also be leaving the chamber on June 30 after failing in his reelection bid in the recent midterm elections. This will leave only four members of the Senate minority bloc in Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Sen. Leila de Lima, who is detained and cannot participate in the plenary debates. "I believe the minority will still be in good hands," Trillanes said during a news forum in Senate on Thursday. "Nandyan pa rin sila Sen. Frank, si Sen. Kiko at si Sen. Risa -- these are very good legislators and at the same time, very active advocates. So hindi mapipilayan ang minority (the minority bloc will not be handicapped)," he added. Drilon had repeatedly said that the minority bloc will continue to fiscalize in the Senate. Sen. Francis Escudero, a member of the majority, aired the same belief. He said a diminished number of minority senators was not an assurance that the administration's legislative agenda will breeze through the Upper Chamber. "Hindi pa rin naman dahil ang mga naiwang mga miyembro ng Senado na nasa oposisyon ay mga batikang senador (No because the remaining opposition senators in the Senate are all excellent lawmakers)," Escudero said, naming Drilon, Pangilinan and Hontiveros. "Kung makalaya si Senator Leila, matibay na line-up iyon ng oposisyon para matiyak na may check and balance sa pagpasa ng anumang mga batas ng Senado (If ever Sen. Leila gets out of jail, it will be a stronger opposition line-up making sure that there is check and balance in the approval of any laws in Senate)," he added. Besides, the passage of bills in the Senate does not depend on the membership in a bloc or a political party. "Ang boto ang paniniwala, paninindigan ng mga miyembro ng Senado ay hindi naman sinusundan iyong party lines sa mga isyung iyan na malapit sa puso ng bawat isa, pabor man o kontra," he said. Escudero will also be stepping down as a lawmaker after his 21 years in Congress. He is set to be sworn in as the new governor of his bailiwick Sorsogon. Other graduating members of the Upper Chamber are Senators Joseph Victor Ejercito, Loren Legarda, and Gregorio Honasan.