JV Ejercito calls out LP’s in Senate majority for voting with opposition

Liberal Party (LP) senators should decide whether it wants to stay with the majority bloc or transfer to the opposition minority, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said Tuesday.

In an interview with reporters, Ejercito referred to the LP as “hilaw” with regards to their membership to the Senate majority bloc.

“They are with the majority but most of the time, they are against the majority…Lines have to be drawn,” Ejercito said. 

“You cannot just enjoy the benefits of being in the majority but at the same time, you are also attacking and going against the majority,” he added.

Ejercito cited for instance the 14-7 vote in favor of a motion pulling out the referral of a Senate resolution to investigate the Bureau of Immigration (BI) bribery scandal from Senator Antonio Trillanes’ committee.

All of the LP senators in the majority voted against the motion. They were joined by minority senators Trillanes and Ralph Recto.

The LP in the Senate is composed of Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon, and Senators Leila de Lima, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. Senator Risa Hontiveros is also allied with the LP.

Recto is also an LP member.

“Probably they have to already make a decision, whether to stay with the majority or with the minority,” Ejercito said.

Ejercito also pointed out the “difficult” set-up with Vice President Leni Robredo, the highest elected official of the LP, being at odds with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Drilon, in a separate interview, said he finds no reason for the LP to leave the majority bloc.

“We were elected by the majority. We were part of the majority that voted for Koko…We will stay where we are,” Drilon pointed out referring to Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

Under the rules, senators who vote for the winning senate president are considered members of the majority bloc. —NB, GMA News