Tito Sotto expresses interest in Senate Presidency

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III has discussed with Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III the possibility of stepping down from the Senate helm as he seeks reelection in 2019, the majority leader told reporters on Thursday.

The four-term senator also expressed interest in replacing Pimentel as Senate President if their colleagues give him the chance.

“Napag-usapan namin something to that effect but you just can’t say you are stepping down. It is not easy as far as the Senate is concerned,” Sotto said when asked if he and Pimentel discussed a change in the Senate leadership.

“I’m open to that if they will give it to me. Sino naman ako para tumanggi,” he added.

He admitted that he and Pimentel already tackled the matter before.

“N’ung araw na pinag-uusapan naming ang Senate leadership. Napag-usapan namin ‘yan, dumaan sa usapan naming perhaps we can talk about it again before the filing of certificate of candidacy. Hindi naman namin akalain na magkakaroon ng impeachment,” Sotto said.

He said they agreed that they will consult their fellow senators when the time comes.

“Kasi hindi naman pwedeng dalawang senador lang ang mag-uusap kung sino ang magiging Senate leader. It is always a consensus with the majority decision,” Sotto said.

He said some of the senators at the start of the 17th Congress were urging him to seek the Senate presidency but they decided that it better be Pimentel, the president of President Rodrigo Duterte's Patido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

“‘Yung mga kasama namin during that time they were asking me to seek the Senate presidency but because we wanted a smoother relationship, we wanted a partymate of the President to lead the Senate,” Sotto said.

This time, he said, they will again let their colleagues decide.

“Depende sa mga kasama namin, pinag-uusapan pa. I don’t want to preempt anyone or anything,” Sotto said.  —NB/KG, GMA News