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Neil Jayson Servallos - The Philippine Star
May 25, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Senator-elect Vicente Sotto III, who is returning to the chamber in the 20th Congress, weighed in on the brewing race for the Senate presidency, saying the position should go to the one who can unite the most members.
“Well, may the best senator win. What’s important is whoever gets the most votes, it will be OK. All of us are capable,” Sotto said in Filipino on dwIZ.
“For me, not only was I minority leader, majority leader, I was also Senate president for four-and-a-half years. Our colleagues already know this. What’s important is, whoever can unite more than 13 senators, that’s who will become Senate president,” he added.
Sotto made the statement as the Senate presidency race became increasingly competitive, with current Senate President Francis Escudero seeking to retain the post and Sen. Imee Marcos also reportedly eyeing the position.
Reflecting on his long legislative career, the senator-elect emphasized that presidential interference in Senate leadership contests is rare.
On possible alliances among senators who are relatives of those vying for Senate leadership, Sotto noted: “That will be hard to predict on how voting will go. It’s likely siblings will band together. I will suspect two or three of the siblings will support each other.”
He also dismissed the significance of self-identified political blocs within the Senate, now that political lines between opposition and majority coalitions have become increasingly blurred.
Currently, at least two blocs have been vying for the majority floor – the Duterte bloc, to which Marcos belongs, and the liberal progressive bloc led by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
The Duterte bloc, according to Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, is composed of him, Marcos and Bong Go, Robin Padilla and Rodante Marcoleta.
Hontiveros, meanwhile, said she expects senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan to join her. She had also expressed intention to pursue the Senate minority floor leadership.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian – who is a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) – said it would be difficult to pick who he might support, as both Sotto and Escudero belong to his party.
“For me, these two are very great and seasoned public servants. Both have been Senate presidents. I think it would be best to discuss this further,” Gatchalian said, confirming that the pair reached out to him regarding the Senate leadership race for the 20th Congress.
“With Sen. Imee, I only read about her intention (to seek the Senate presidency) this morning. So, I have had no communication with her,” he said.
Asked about his thoughts on the race, Gatchalian said he is currently holding off any decision, as his focus remains on pending legislative work.
“We have two months to discuss that,” he added.
Gatchalian emphasized that beyond leadership, what matters most is the legislative agenda moving forward.
Senator JV Ejercito yesterday begged off from revealing his vote in the Senate presidency leadership contest, as he described his sticky situation as Escudero’s deputy majority leader.
Speaking to dwIZ yesterday, Ejercito said he would rather keep his cards to himself, even though he is expected to stand by the Senate President who appointed him a leadership position.
He said he was made deputy majority leader even though, when Escudero challenged the Senate Presidency of Juan Miguel Zubiri last year, Ejercito stood by Zubiri and voted against the latter’s ouster.
Ejercito said the new Senate president should protect the character of the upper chamber as an independent branch of government.
“The Senate’s character has always been independent. It will always maintain its character as the last bastion of democracy,” he said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab
