Koko Pimentel hopes to break 'jinx' in Senate Room 512

Lawyer Aquilino Pimentel III said he hopes to break the "jinx" haunting the room he might soon occupy in the Senate building in Pasay City if and when he replaces resigned Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. Pimentel, a senatorial candidate in the 2007 elections who has long contested the victory of Zubiri, said it was possible that he could end up inheriting Zubiri's office in Room 512. According to rumors, Room 512 has jinxed other lawmakers who occupied it, including Zubiri, who resigned from his post amid allegations he benefited from cheating in Mindanao in the 2007 polls. Sen. Miriam Santiago's office was in Room 512 during her first term as senator from 1995 to 2001, years after she lost to to Fidel Ramos in the 1992 presidential elections. She has since transferred to Room 521. Former Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, running mate of President Benigno Aquino III who lost to Vice President Jejomar Binay in the automated polls in May 2010, also used to occupy the same room before he pursued his vice presidential bid. Other occupants of the room was former basketball player and Sen. Robert Jaworski, who won as senator in the 1998 elections but failed in his re-election bid in 2004. Preparing for oath-taking Pimentel earlier filed an electoral protest before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), claiming he was the winner in a tight race with Zubiri for the 12th and last spot in the 2007 senatorial polls. After he resigned Wednesday, Zubiri withdrew his counter-protest against Pimentel, removing one of the final obstacles to Pimentel's procalamtion. According to Senate sources, the SET could resolve Pimentel's electoral protest in two weeks' time. "If the SET sides with me, I would be the first one to win an electoral protest before the tribunal. So, I will also be the first 'winner' in that room," Pimentel joked during a press conference in Quezon City. Pimentel said he is already preparing for his possible oath-taking. He has chosen to take his oath in Davao Oriental, one of the provinces where he garnered the most number of votes. In fact, he said, he placed second in the southern Mindanao province. Pimentel, son of former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr, admitted being surprised by the overwhelming support he got from the province. "Hindi nga ako nag-campaign doon eh. Pero ang lakas pala ng machinery doon," he said. The younger Pimentel boasted that his father would be writing the speech he will be delivering during his oath. — LBG/HS, GMA News