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With Just One Motion, Senator Manny Pacquiao Knocks Out Drilon, LP Out Of All Senate Panel Posts


The Liberal Party, already in an untenable position as part of the Senate majority while denouncing the administration’s “political persecution” of its stalwart Senator Leila de Lima, has been stripped of all key positions in the chamber, starting with that of Senate President Pro Tempore, a post until Monday, June 27, held by Franklin Drilon.

The shakeup began with a motion by Senator Manny Pacquiao to declare the Committee Chairmanships vacant, as well as the position of Senate President Pro Tempore, held by former LP President Franklin Drilon.

When Pacquiao declared the post of Senate President Pro-Tempore vacant, his motion was seconded by Drilon, and then approved by Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

“With no objections and duly seconded, the motion declaring the position of the Senate President Pro Tempore vacant is hereby approved,” Pimentel said.

The 17 Senators who subsequently voted for Minority Leader Ralph Recto to replace Drilon for Senate President Pro Tempore are: Nancy Binay, Alan Cayetano, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Win Gatchalian, Richard Gordon, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda, Manny Pacquiao, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Pimentel III.

Senator Bam Aquino was replaced as Chair of the Education Committee; Senator Kiko Pangilinan from the Agriculture Panel; and Senator Risa Hontiveros from the Health Committee.

Upon the motion of Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, Villar was elected as new Chairman of the Agriculture Panel; Escudero as Education Committee Chief; and Ejercito took over the Chairmanship of the Health Panel.

Pangilinan and Aquino themselves seconded the motion in declaring a vacancy in the Committees on Agriculture and Education.

“Any objection, hearing none, the motion is approved,” Pimentel said in three consecutive motions of Pacquiao regarding the chairmanships.

With this, Aquino clarified that his removal as Education Panel Chief has nothing to do with the performance of the committee.

“Alam nyo naman Mr. President lahat naman tayo dito mga pulitiko, lahat naman tayo ay mga big boys and big girls, I take no offense at this removal of my Chairmanship of the Education [committee], but for the record, I would like to state for the record, and I hope no one will object, that this move has nothing to do with the performance of the Committee on Education,” Aquino said.

Meanwhile, a query was raised as to the aftermath of the former Minority Leader (Recto) being elected as the new Senate President Pro-Tempore: who becomes the Minority Leader, and who are in the Minority?

Trillanes was left as the only member of the Minority, as Recto and Escudero had taken key positions in the Majority.

Recto moved to offer the vacant position of Minority Leader to LP members.

“At this point in time, the post of the Minority Leader would be Senator Trillanes until the Minority decides among themselves who would be the Minority Leader. Thank you Mr. President,” Recto said.

Moreover, the Liberal bloc associated themselves with Trillanes as members of the Minority group.

For his part, Drilon supported the manifestation of Pangilinan and asked to rearrange the seats in the session hall.

“I would like to clarify that the members of the Minority today are Senators Trillanes, Hontiveros, Aquino and Pangilinan and speak for and in behalf of Senator Leila De Lima,” Drilon said.

However, Pimentel rejected including De Lima as member of the Minority without having formally communicated with her. De Lima is now jailed for drug charges at the PNP Custodial Center.

“That is correct, as of today there are five members of the Minority,” Pimentel said.

“Yes your Honor,” Drilon said.

For her part, Vice President Leni Robredo said the removal of Committee Chairmanships from Senators critical of the administration could be a sign of a creeping “one-man rule,” and the people should resist it.

“What happened in the Senate today is characteristic of an administration obsessed with monopolizing power and intent on marginalizing those who have opposing views,” she said in a statement.

“This has happened before. In the past, this paved the way for a one-man rule,” Robredo added.

She called on the people not to be silenced, adding that “democracy demands dissent.”

Robredo said that the Senators, like her, were elected by the people to serve and work with the administration and “put national interest before politics.”

“But despite our sincere efforts, it is now clear that the Duterte administration is incapable of tolerating dissent, no matter how constructive,” she said.

Source: InterAksyon
With Just One Motion, Senator Manny Pacquiao Knocks Out Drilon, LP Out Of All Senate Panel Posts With Just One Motion, Senator Manny Pacquiao Knocks Out Drilon, LP Out Of All Senate Panel Posts Reviewed by Yen on February 28, 2017 Rating: 5

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