The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Tracy Cabrera
SENATE, Pasay City — The battle for the Senate leadership in the upcoming 20th Congress has just heated up as the elder sister of President Ferdinand’ Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., reelected senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios ‘Imee’ Marcos-Manotoc, announced she will join in running for Senate President.
In an interview, Imee Marcos claimed that “some” of her colleagues have expressed their support for her to replace current Senate President Francis Escudero. Prior to this, rumors have spread that senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III may also be eyeing the Senate’s top post.
But Marcos Jr.’s sister, who had criticized her younger brother’s administration over several national issues, including the arrest and transfer to The Hague of former President Rodrigo Duterte, did not categorically say if she has accepted her colleagues’ supposed endorsement.
“Whoever will be elected by our peers, whether it is me or not, there are certain congressional reforms that need to be undertaken,” Senator Marcos said in a statement.
“The most important is reform in the budgetary process,” she added while citing that electoral reforms should follow the change in leadership, including (reforms in the) political (parties), which have become mere tools for personal ambition rather than public interest.
The lady senator, who left the senatorial slate backed by the President and sought the endorsement of Vice President ‘Inday’ Sara Duterte-Carpio in the recently concluded midterm elections last May 12, confirmed that she would be joining the so-called ‘Duterte bloc’ in the Senate when the 20th Congress opens this July.
Despite this, however, Senate President Pro Tempore Jose ‘Jinggoy Estrada’ Ejercito enthused he believes that Escudero would be able to keep the Senate leadership even with the supposed clamor of several of their colleagues to install a new Senate chief.
“Everything is still possible, everything is still fluid . . . But I’m confident that Escudero will still retain his position as Senate president,” Estrada noted.
Morover, former president Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada’s son downplayed rumors that he would replace Escudero as ‘interim’ Senate president when the Upper Chamber’s regular session resumes on June 2.
“I will decline it. That is not true,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, in a separate interview, Escudero stated that he would leave it up to his fellow senators if they still want him as Senate president.