Sotto explains why senators chose Koko over Cayetano as SP

The conditions set by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Senate committee chairmanships did not sit well with incumbent and incoming senators in the 17th Congress, which was why most of them decided to support Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr. as the next Senate President Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III yesterday said.

Sotto made the clarification at a weekly press conference at the Senate when pressed to answer questions regarding the ongoing talks about the Senate leadership.

According to Sotto, when he and Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II met with Cayetano, the latter claimed already having the support of four incoming senators.

“He said he had about four incoming members of the Senate who supported him (for the Senate leadership) but when we talked, to be very candid about it, he went about saying this position should be handled by this, or that. Without naming names, he goes about saying this position is fit for this person, not for this person,” Sotto said.

“When I went back to the group to talk about what we talked about, they were not excited about it; they were not happy with that kind of situation. So we decided to explore other possibilities, and invite other members of the incoming Senate group of nine, and they were able to invite Koko Pimentel,” Sotto added.

“Koko came to join us in a dialogue, he was very open. The very openness of Koko Pimentel was very inviting, because he had no dos and don’ts. He just wanted to support the ideas and programs we wanted to pursue,” he explained.

Sotto said they are still hoping that Cayetano and his group would finally decide to join the “super majority” that has been formed.

At least 14 senators have already signed the resolution supporting Pimentel, which includes the signature of incoming neophyte senator Manny Pacquiao.

Two other senators, senators Ralph Recto and Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito are still mulling whether or not they would join the Senate majority bloc. Recto, a member of the Liberal Party, has earlier said he is considering joining the minority group.

“Well, he said he has intention, so I will take it as an intention. It doesn’t mean it is already sealed. He can still change his mind,” Sotto said.

He also clarified that their group, composed of nine senators, did not form a bloc because they wanted a Senate president or because they wanted the Senate presidency but because they really want to support the change that President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has promised.