• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Acting Governor Jeffrey Ferrer yesterday described the resignation of Juan Miguel Zubiri as Senate president, as a “big loss” to Negrosanons.
Ferrer said the Senator Zubiri, whose father is Negrosanon, helped Negros Occidental a lot, especially the sugar industry, and also provided around P100 million worth of projects, in the implementation of his advocacy.
Zubiri resigned from his post on Monday, ending a two-year term due to what he implied was dissatisfaction at him for breaking ranks.
“I failed to follow instructions from the powers that be, simple as that,” Zubiri said during his privilege speech before he stepped down from his post.
The former Senate president, whose two-year leadership was repeatedly marked by coup rumors, was visibly emotional while addressing his colleagues, saying that he had “fought the good fight.”
Fifteen senators voted for the ouster of Zubiri as Senate president. He was replaced by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
If you cannot get the majority, you can be unseated anytime, Ferrer said.
The resignation of Zubiri took place after a series of politically charged hearings conducted in the Senate, most recent of which is the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee’s ongoing investigation of the alleged leaked documents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that links President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to illegal drug use.*
