More senators want Kiko as senate president

Senator Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III said Monday more of his colleagues at the Senate would like Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan to be the Senate President. Osmeña mentioned Senators Ramon Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid, from Senator Edgardo Angara's bloc, as two of the Senate members who seem to be favoring Pangilinan. "I have not seen signatures, pero mukhang leaning towards Kiko (but it looks like Bong Revilla and Lapid are leaning towards Kiko)," Osmeña told reporters in an interview on Monday. Both Bong Revilla and Lapid, however, could not be reached immediately for comment. The two senators are part of Angara's bloc, which is expected to be the deciding bloc on who wins the Senate presidency. Those included in this group are Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Loren Legarda, Gregorio Honasan II, and Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III. Pangilinan vs Villar Pangilinan's biggest contender for the post of Senate President is Senator Manuel Villar, president of the Nationalista Party's (NP). Those on Villar’s bloc are Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pilar Juliana Cayetano, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Joker Arroyo, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who all ran under NP. On the other hand, Pangilinan, as Liberal Party's (LP) bet, has the sure support of Senators Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto, and Teofisto Guingona III. Osmena and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile have also expressed their intention to support Pangilinan. Angara had earlier said their bloc would announce its chosen candidate either on Thursday or Friday. Angara says he is hesitant about voting for Pangilinan as Senate president because the latter is identified with President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and this might affect the chamber's independence. Osmeña, however, says Pangilinan is just right for the position of Senate president. "He seems to have the right personality, the right temperament," he said. He adds that Pangilinan probably has 11 sure votes for him. He could not, however, identify all the senators who have expressed support for the LP bet. A senator needs 13 votes to secure the Senate presidency. Under the Constitution, majority of the Senate is pegged at 13 because the number of senators is fixed at 24. However, if no candidate gets 13 votes, Osmeña says the Senate will have to designate a temporary acting president just to preside over the sessions. "It can only be a temporary, until a permanent president is elected," he says. He says that Enrile, who was recently reelected, cannot remain as Senate president. His term as Senate president ended at the same time his term as a senator ended on June 30. –VVP, GMANews.TV