Risa: Kiko, Bam still my allies despite joining Senate majority

Senator Risa Hontiveros said Thursday she still considers Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino as her allies despite their decision to join the Senate majority bloc.

To recall, Hontiveros decided to remain in the minority bloc and backed the bid of Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III for the Senate presidency. 

Pangilinan and Aquino supported the reelection of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as leader of the upper chamber, and were given the committee chairmanships on agriculture and basic education, respectively. 

“We and our parties are still allies, at klarong-klaro ‘yun (and it’s very clear),” Hontiveros said at a press conference. 

Hontiveros said she still shares the same sentiments with Pangilinan and Aquino on certain issues, noting that the two even signed the joint resolution of the minority bloc calling for the opening of all bicameral conference committee deliberations on the national budget to the public. 

“Halimbawa sa House of Representatives, kasi ‘yung mga kapartido namin sa Akbayan, sa ML, good number mula sa LP, ay magkakasama sa bloke sa loob ng House minority. And ‘yung House minority na mula sa mga partido namin ay kasama namin do’n sa, I would call it, minority-led resolution tungkol sa open bicam,” Hontiveros said.

(At the House of Representatives, our party members in Akbayan, ML, and LP are together in the House minority bloc. And the House minority is with us in the minority-led resolution about the open bicam.) 

“So sa ganyang ding mga isyu na magkakapareho ang aming mga opinyon, ay ‘yun ‘yung bukas na posibilidad pa rin kahit dito sa Senado. So, mula sa united na minority, kaming lima, possibility lagi, depende sa isyu, maimbita rin ‘yung iba naming mga colleagues, lalo na or kasama na ‘yung dalawa,” she added. 

(So in such issues where our opinions are the same, it is possible that it would be the same in the Senate. So, from the united minority, the five of us, it is always a possibility, depending on the issue, that our other colleagues, particularly the two, will join us.) 

Proud to be in minority 

Further, Hontiveros said that she is proud to remain serving in the minority under the leadership of Sotto.

“At peace ang puso ko sa pagiging bahagi pa rin at muli ng minority. At bawat araw na dumadaan, pasaya ako ng pasaya sa sitwasyong ito,” she added.

(My heart is at peace being part of the minority again. And every day that passes, I become happier with this situation.) 

The five-man Senate minority bloc on Tuesday held its first caucus or meeting to discuss its initial plans and legislative priorities for the 20th Congress. 

Hontiveros confirmed that they discussed impeachment matters during the caucus, but said that the five of them have different concerns or opinions on the matter. 

“May mga pagkakaiba-iba man kami ng concerns o opinyon dito tungkol sa impeachment, nagkakaisa po kami sa minority na dapat magkaroon ng maayos na desisyon, hindi lang kami sa minority, ang buong Senado kung papaano talaga namin ititreat itong buong impeachment trial at given din yung importanteng desisyon ng Korte Suprema,” she explained. 

(Even if we have different concerns or opinions regarding the impeachment, we are united that there should be a proper decision—not only us in the minority, but the entire Senate—on how we should proceed with the impeachment, also given the important decision of the Supreme Court.) 

Escudero had announced that the Senate will discuss the decision of the Supreme Court declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional on August 6, 2025. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News