Early preparations for the 2019 senatorial derby prompted a midterm change of leadership with Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III, who is eyeing reelection, agreeing to relinquish his post to Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III by next week.
“It is the voice of the majority,” Sotto told the BusinessMirror when asked to confirm the so-called changing of the guards paving the way for his assumption to the Senate Presidency.
Sotto said Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, in turn, is being eyed to take over as the next Senate Majority Leader.
Sen. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, in a brief interview, said Sotto was “acceptable” to most senators being the “most senior member” of the Senate.
Ejercito indicated that talks leading to a smooth leadership change in the Senate, which will be formally carried out at next week’s session, did not encounter difficulties because there was “unity among members” of the majority bloc, which control 17 seats in the 24-member chamber.
“The choice of leaders depends on the majority,” he added.
This developed after ruling PDP-Laban leaders bared an initial list of senatorial bets that President Duterte’s party will likely field in the upcoming senatorial derby, led by Pimentel, which also include Duterte’s close aide, Special Assistant to the President Christoper Lawrence T. Go and Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr.