SEN. Juan Miguel Zubiri said he was not happy with how Sen. Francis Escudero led the Senate and would support anyone who will challenge the latter for the Senate presidency when the 20th Congress opens session on July 28.
The 24 senators — a mix of incumbent, returning and neophyte members of the Senate — are expected to call for a reorganization when they meet in the morning of July 28 for the opening of the first session of the 20th Congress.
Escudero, who has been accused of dragging his feet on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, banged the gavel to declare the adjournment sine die of the 19th Senate on June 12, which held a total of 56 sessions.
Senate President Francis Escudero PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA
If Escudero retains his position as Senate president, he will jointly hold a session in the afternoon with whoever the House speaker would be to hear the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In a radio interview on Thursday, Zubiri said, “I am for a leader of the Senate that will keep protecting the integrity, the traditions of the Senate. I don’t want a Senate leader who would be a dictatorial type,” he said in Filipino without mentioning any name. Escudero replaced Zubiri in a Senate coup in May 2024.
“And if you ask me if I’m satisfied with the leadership of the Senate, I’m not satisfied with the leadership of the Senate,” he said.
“So, I’m open to supporting other candidates for the Senate presidency. I am praying that we have new leadership of the Senate,” the senator said. Zubiri said he and fellow Senators Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson and Vicente Sotto III have formed what he described as the “veterans bloc.” In interviews, Lacson has been critical of attempts in the Senate to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte without a trial. He also criticized the decision — supported by Escudero — to remand the articles of impeachment back to the House of Representatives, a move that further delayed the trial.
Zubiri said the veterans bloc were pushing for Sotto to become Senate president, a post he had occupied for four-and-a-half years.
But Zubiri acknowledged that Escudero has already secured 13 votes needed to retain leadership of the Senate.
“He may have the 13 signatures, but I’m hoping and praying that at the end of the day, we all decide to have a Senate president that will continue its independence as a last bastion of democracy,” he said.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA
Zubiri said that during his term as Senate chief, he promoted a “consultative” leadership. “I led through consensus building. I always had caucuses every week to discuss the issues for the day,” he said. “I do not let all the discussions be on the floor because making it come out on the floor and fighting it out there shows a very chaotic Senate,” he said.
“I don’t want us to be similar to other chambers where it is only one emperor who dictates all the instructions to the members of the body,” he said.
Aside from Escudero, the following senators will continue their terms in the 20th Congress: Alan Peter Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Robinhood Padilla, Raffy Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, Mark Villar and Zubiri.
Senators Pia Cayetano, Ronald Dela Rosa, Bong Go, Lito Lapid and Imee Marcos were reelected.
The incoming senators are Bam Aquino, Panfilo Lacson, Rodante Marcoleta, Francis Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III, Erwin Tulfo and Camille Villar.
Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Francis Tolentino failed in their reelection bids. There will be four sets of siblings in the 20th Congress: the Cayetanos, the Tulfos, the Villars and half-brothers Estrada and Ejercito.
