Koko Pimentel to seek Senate presidency

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, the lone party mate of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte in the upper chamber, announced on Friday that he is seeking the Senate presidency in July.

Pimentel made the statement before the PDP-Laban, which he heads, inked a coalition agreement with the Nationalist People's Coalition at the Makati Diamond Residences in Makati City.

"As president of the party, I will aspire to be Senate president so that the agenda of the party and the president can be shepherded through the Senate," he told reporters.

Duterte was already informed, through party mates, about his bid for the Senate leadership, Pimentel said, but could not say if he has already secured the blessing of the outgoing Davao City mayor.

“Wala po siyang nasabi sa akin na he’s blessing me but it’s my partymates who are blessing me so that’s why I’m aspiring for it," he said.

Pimentel said he will soon talk to other members of the 24-man Senate to clinch their support.

It remains unclear if Duterte's running mate, Sen. Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, will gun for the post but Pimentel seems to be already looking forward to a "friendly competition."

"We will possibly engage in a friendly competition for the commitments of our colleagues and in the end we will have to work together," said Pimentel.

"Pwede naman kami mag-usap who's got the numbers. We can consolidate our numbers," he added.

Another potential contender, veteran Senator Vicente Sotto III, also expressed interest in the position currently occupied by four-term Senator Franklin Drilon

Sotto reportedly claimed that 11 colleagues are pushing him to run, just two votes shy of the simple majority of 13 senators to elect a new Senate leader.

Cayetano belongs to the Nacionalista Party while Sotto is a member of the NPC.

Both parties allied themselves with Duterte following his landslide victory last May 9.

Drilon, a stalwart of the ruling Liberal Party, earlier played down talks about the future leadership of the Senate as Congress' focus is on proclaiming the new president and vice president at the soonest possible time.

Congress will resume session on May 23 and will convene two days later as the National Board of Canvassers to tally the votes and proclaim the winners in the presidential and vice presidential elections. — RSJ, GMA News