Imee to be replaced as Senate Foreign Relations chair, says Lacson

Senator Imee Marcos will be replaced as chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson confirmed Thursday. 

Lacson said Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri may have informed Marcos already about the chairmanship change, which may take place next week. 

Asked regarding the possible change, Lacson said, “For obvious reasons, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, like the Blue Ribbon, etc. is a major and significant committee that is normally reserved to the majority bloc.”

He also said Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, in return, agreed to relinquish the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes to Marcos “as a gesture of goodwill.”

"It is up to her to accept or decline,” he added. 

Lacson also clarified that he had nothing to do with the chairmanship change.

The name of Senator Erwin Tulfo is among those being floated to be the next chairman of the foreign relations committee. 

To recall, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III had floated the possibility of a shake-up in the chairmanship of at least one committee in the upper chamber.

Sotto said this after the Senate majority bloc held a caucus on the day the Senate resumed session after a month-long legislative break.

GMA News Online reached out to Marcos for a comment, and will update this story once she responds. —RF, GMA Integrated News