Pimentel elected Senate President

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III is the Senate President of the 17th Congress.

On Monday, 20 senators gave their thumbs up for Pimentel through  a nominal voting.

Senator Vicente Sotto III, who earlier expressed willingness to take the top Senate post, nominated Pimentel, saying he humbly gave way to a young and valiant lawmaker.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri then seconded the motion, calling Pimentel as his former bitter rival because of their past issue where the former was forced to resign as senator to give way to the decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

Pimentel's father, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., served as Senate chief from November 2000 to June 2001.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, who returned to the PDP-Laban last week, administered the oath to Pimentel.

Other Senate leaders

Senator Francis Escudero, on the other hand, nominated Senator Ralph Recto for Senate President. It was seconded by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Recto got three votes. He will be the Senate minority leader.

Earlier, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano skipped the opening session of the Senate in the 17th Congress. Cayetano had earlier expressed his desire to be elected to the rop Senate post. 

Elected as Senate President Pro Tempore was Senator Franklin Drilon. He was nominated by Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito and was seconded by Senator Leila de Lima.

Sotto, meanwhile, was elected majority leader. He will also handle the Committee on Rules. He was nominated by Senator Gregorio Honasan and seconded by Senator Loren Legarda.

'Essential elements'

In his acceptance speech, Pimentel laid down what he called as the “essential elements of the program of government” that the majority leaders have agreed upon such as:

• all-out search for peace in our land,
• adoption of a federal system of government,
• all-out war against crime, drugs, and corruption,
• reform taxation system and make it more just and truly progressive,
• strengthen the rule of law and make justice system work,
• reform the budget and declare war on waste,
• sustainable ad inclusive economic growth,
• protect the environment,
• deliver quality education and quality healthcare,
• fight abuse and the abusive,
• focus on the needs and situation of the helpless and impoverished members of the society.

“But even as we will do what needs to be done for the good of our people pursuant to our mandate as legislators, we will also support the legislative initiatives that President Rodrigo Duterte envisions as necessary to promote the public welfare,” he said.

Pimentel said they would always keep the doors of the legislature and the committees open to suggestions coming from the people for the enactment of legislations that will promote the general welfare and enhance the common good.

He said they will follow the mantra: “the poorest first, the poor second.”

He said they have no choice but to do their best because that is the wish of the people who put them in power.

Pimentel also extended the hand of friendship and camaraderie to those who disagree with the current majority bloc.

He assured them that in running the affairs of the institution, they shall be guided by democratic principle that the rights of the minority will always be respected pursuant to promultaged rulesm precedents and established practices.

Recto, for his part, said the minority bloc will be resolute but responsible, critical yet constructive, and proposing solutions rather than merely identifying problems.

He believed that although they are only three in the minority bloc, he believed they will not be isolated.

“The beauty of 24 republics is that they would vote based on merits and never on the political affiliations. The most incessant opposition actually comes within the majority and the most ardent support comes from across the aisle,” he said.

He said the minority bloc would be the guardians of public interest and guide the actions and agenda of the majority.

“We know when to stand its ground and when to seek common ground,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News