• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Ruling out a run for Senate president, Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri disclosed on Tuesday that the “veteran bloc” will support the bid of returning Senator Tito Sotto for Senate President.
According to Zubiri, the “veteran bloc” is composed of himself, returning Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Sotto, and Loren Legarda.
“I am for a leader of the Senate who will keep protecting the integrity and traditions of the Senate. I don’t want a Senate leader, who will be a dictatorial type. I don’t want us to be similar to the other chamber, where it is only one emperor, who dictates all the instructions to the members of the body,” Zubiri said in a press briefing in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
Senator Joel Villanueva disclosed on Monday that Senate President Francis Escudero appears to have the support of at least13 senators.
“He (Escudero) may have it, but I am hoping and praying that, at the end of day, we all decide to have a Senate president that will continue its independence, as a last bastion of democracy, not just independent from the House (of Representatives).”
During his time as Senate president, Zubiri recalled that he led through consultative leadership, consensus building, and always held caucuses every week to discuss issues of the day. At the same time, Zubiri added that he did not build discussions on the floor, because having it on the floor and fighting it out there shows a very chaotic Senate.
Stressing that he is not satisfied with the leadership of the Senate, Zubiri said he is open to supporting other candidates for the Senate presidency.
I am praying that we have a new leadership in the Senate, he stressed.
In the 19th Congress, Zubiri was ousted as Senate president, having been replaced by Escudero.
As Senate president then, Zubiri recalled that he defended the Senate against what he described as a fake “People’s Initiative” which would render them inutile.
If we didn’t fight back, we are probably in a parliamentary system now, he added.
“I am very proud that I fought that, and we won. Maybe that was the cause of my demise, but so be it. At least, I protected the integrity of the Senate,” Zubiri said, adding that he hopes the next leader will be the same.
He noted that the Senate is now facing a lot of issues, tests, and challenges. “I think right now, there’s a lot of people who are angry at the Senate.”
My worry is, he added, might be one day, that the Senate will lose its relevance. People will just say, abolish the Senate. Once we lose relevance, the people will no longer want us, no longer need us. That is a failure on our part, as senators, said Zubiri, who has been a senator for 16 years.*
