18 senators backing Escudero – Jinggoy

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July 20, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Only six senators have not signed the Senate resolution expressing support to retain Sen. Francis Escudero as Senate President during the 20th Congress, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said on Saturday.

Estrada said Sen. Lito Lapid, who was earlier believed to be backing the bid of Sen. Vicente Sotto III for the Senate presidency, has already expressed his support for Escudero but could not confirm whether Lapid had already signed the resolution.

Based on the number Estrada provided, only Senators Sotto, Panfilo Lacson, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Loren Legarda, Risa Hontiveros and Imee Marcos have yet to express their support for Escudero.

“The number is correct... About 18 are in the majority. Only six did not join,” Estrada told radio dwIZ.

While Marcos belongs to the Duterte bloc of seven senators, she is the only one in the group who has yet to express support for Escudero.

Earlier, Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa revealed that the Duterte bloc had decided to vote as a bloc for Escudero’s Senate presidency. Other members of the bloc include Senators Robinhood Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta and siblings Mark and Camille Villar.

Estrada, who earlier said he was helping Escudero whip up votes, added he was still trying to convince the President’s sister to join the majority.

“That’s true, that’s correct. She hasn’t signed the resolution backing Chiz as Senate President. But I’m in constant touch with her, and she has some committee requests. She wants to relinquish some committees and is asking for new ones,”he said.

Estrada revealed that Sotto’s bloc had reportedly offered Marcos the chairmanship of the committee on finance.

“Well, it’s her call. I haven’t received a concrete response from her. There’s still a chance she can be convinced. Senator Imee and I exchange text messages, and hopefully, she changes her mind and joins the majority,” he added.

On committee assignments, Estrada confirmed that the allocation is likely aligned with those who expressed support for Escudero.

“Most likely the committee distribution has already been finalized among those supporting Senate President Escudero,” he said.

Asked about Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s reported appointment to head the powerful finance committee, Estrada said it’s likely to push through.

“That seems to be the agreement – he will be given the committee on finance. But there’s a tradition that when you hold that committee, it’s very demanding. It might take up most of his time, and he may no longer be able to focus on any other committee,” he said.

When pressed if the finance panel had already been committed solely to Gatchalian, Estrada replied, “Most probably.”