Senate opens with Zubiri, sans Trillanes

The Senate of the 14th Congress opened Monday morning, marked by the attendance of controversial poll winner Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri and the non-appearance of detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Senator Manuel Villar opened the session at about 11 a.m. but Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, being the oldest member of the chamber, presided over the rest of the session. Villar, who is reportedly expected to assume the Senate presidency anew, has yet to formally take his oath as senator. Trillanes is under military custody in Fort Bonifacio for joining the failed Oakwood Mutiny of 2003. He has yet to get court approval to attend Senate proceedings. About 100 supporters of opposition candidate Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, who lost the 12th place in senatorial race to Zubiri, had gathered outside the Senate building. They called Zubiri a cheater, the same label that Trillanes used to describe the administration candidate. Senators are set to resolve Monday the issue of the Senate presidency, which is tightly contested by Villar and Aquilino Pimentel Jr. As of posting time, Sen. Loren Legarda was delivering a speech as to why Pimentel should lead the chamber. Opposition senators had conceded that Villar will resume the Senate helm, saying he had the numbers even from administration senators despite running under the Genuine Opposition. Meanwhile, radio station dzBB said Villar's camp arrived early at the Senate for an early caucus before the Senate began its session. The caucus was held at the office of Sen. Richard Gordon, with Senators Villar, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan and Juan Ponce Enrile among those in attendance, the report said. Neophyte Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who had signified his support for Villar's bid, also arrived early but did not attend the caucus. He spoke with Senate employees at the flag raising ceremony instead. The radio report said that the early meeting among the senators was held to map out the procedures for the opening of Senate sessions at 10 a.m. - with a report from Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV