Chiz, Tito reached out to discuss Senate presidency, Bong Go confirms
Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero and senator-elect Vicente "Tito" Sotto III have separately asked Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go for his support in their respective bids for the Senate leadership in the 20th Congress, Go told reporters on Wednesday.
Go said their group which also includes Duterte-allied senators Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, and Robin Padilla, and senator-elect Rodante Marcoleta will vote as a bloc on the Senate presidency.
'Marami pa pong ibang nakikipag-usap din po sa amin, but we are open sa lahat po ng pag-uusap basta ang criteria namin unahin 'yung interes ng bayan, interes ng bawat Pilipino at independent Senate po ito,' Go said in an interview with reporters.
(Many have been speaking with us, but we are open to all discussions. Our criteria is to prioritize the interest of the country, of every Filipino, and an independent Senate.)
Asked if both Escudero and Sotto had asked for his support, Go said answered in the affirmative repeatedly.
'From our group, yes,' Go said. 'Lahat naman po sila initially nakikipag-usap individually or as a group.'
(All of them are initially talking to us individually or as a group.)
GMA News Online has sought comments from both Escudero and Sotto and will publish them as soon as they are available.
When asked if their bloc will field someone for the Senate president race, Go said any senator had the right to run for Senate President.
On Saturday, senator-elect Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson said that there are at least 13 incumbent and incoming senators of the 20th Congress who have expressed preference for a Senate president who is 'independent, transparent, and competent.'
Lacson, a close political ally of Sotto, said this sentiment was based on individual discussions with majority of 20th Congress senators.
Installing a new Senate president requires 13 votes from the 24-member legislative chamber.
Before this, Sotto disclosed that three to four senators have approached him about his return to the Senate presidency in the 20th Congress. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
an hour ago
- GMA Network
NFA to ship 35,000 bags of rice to Cebu for P20/kilo program
The National Food Authority (NFA) is set to ship some 35,000 bags of rice from San Jose, Oriental Mindoro to Cebu, where they will be sold for P20 per kilogram, as part of the pilot implementation of the government's program aimed to lower prices of rice in the country. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the latest shipment is part of the 100,000 50-kilo sacks ordered by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia for distribution in the province. The first batch of 35,000 bags arrived three weeks ago. '(T)his effort is about more than just bringing down prices — it is about recognizing and supporting the people who make it possible,' Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who also chairs the NFA Council, said in a statement. 'By clearing space in our NFA warehouses, we are making room to buy more palay from you, our beloved farmers. Here in Mindoro, a vital rice-producing province in Southern Tagalog, you deserve not just recognition, but fair prices that truly reflect your hard work and sacrifice,' he added. The NFA buys fresh palay or unmilled rice from farmers at P18 per kilo, and up to P24 per kilo for dry palay. This compares with the P13.50 to P18.00 per kilo buying price of private traders, against an estimated production cost of P12 to P14 per kilo. The rice shipments are then sent to local governments and Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita (KADIWA) Centers of the DA to be sold to indigents, senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities at P20 per kilo. 'This subsidized rice program is for every Filipino family striving to put food on the table—and for every farmer who rises before dawn, rain or shine, to feed the nation. Thank you. You are the heartbeat of this program, and the reason it has meaning,' Tiu Laurel said. Tiu Laurel in January said the NFA is set to buy at least 300,000 metric tons of rice this year, with optimism that the country will hit a record for palay production. Under its mandate, the NFA is tasked to maintain sufficient rice buffer stocks to be sourced mainly from local farmers. The agency, for its part, said it is also mandated to keep and dispose of 99.9% of stocks in good and consumable condition. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- GMA Network
Escudero: Sara Duterte impeachment trial up to 20th Congress
Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said Monday that senators in the 20th Congress will get the final say on whether or not the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will push through. The 20th Congress will open on July 28, on the day of the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. With only six plenary sessions remaining before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 13, Escudero said the next Congress will be the one to handle the trial proper, if pursued, once it convenes a day after SONA or on July 29. He explained that regardless of the decision of the 19th Congress regarding impeachment matters, it cannot bind the subsequent Congress. Meaning, the 20th Congress needs to decide again if it will reconvene as an impeachment court and proceed with the trial 'either by an affirmative vote or by their silence and acquiescence.' 'Pwedeng pagbotohan 'yun ng plenaryo ng 19th Congress pero anuman ang desisyon namin, hindi pwede i-bind 'yung 20th Congress. So pwedeng magkaroon ng ibang pananaw 'yung 20th Congress. Halimbawa, pwedeng sabihin ng 19th Congress, tatawid 'yan pero ang pasya ng 20th Congress, hindi tatawid 'yan at idi-dismiss nila, so depende,' the Senate President said. (The 19th Congress can vote on it, but regardless of our decision, the 20th Congress cannot be bound. So the 20th Congress can have a different decision. For example, the 19th Congress can say that the impeachment trial will proceed, but the 20th Congress can say otherwise, so it depends.) 'Sa dulo, you have to understand in Congress, plenary is supreme. It's not the decision or the voice of one member even if he or she is the Senate President or an officer of the Senate or the House. Desisyon palagi ng plenaryo ang mangingibabaw sa anumang usapin,' he added. (In the end, you have to understand that in Congress, plenary is supreme. It's not the decision or the voice of one member even if he or she is the Senate President or an officer of the Senate or the House. The decision of the plenary will always prevail no matter what.) Five senators in the 20th Congress were endorsed by PDP-Laban, chaired by Sara's father former president Rodrigo Duterte, during the 2025 midterm elections: Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, and Camille Villar. They will join Senator Robin Padilla, who sits as the party's president. Other senators in the next Congress are either independent or are allied with other political parties. Escudero urged incoming senator-judges, regardless of who they are affiliated with, to remain impartial regarding the impeachment. 'Desisyon at pasya nila 'yon hindi para sa akin na husgahan 'yon. Pero nakalagay sa aming rules hangga't maaari ay maging impartial sana ang bawat senator-judge hangga't hindi pa naririnig 'yung kaso mismo. Maging ganun pa man ang pag-inhibit ay voluntary decision sa parte ng sinumang hukom. Hindi ito pinagbobotohan ng mga miyembro ng hukom mismo,' he said. (They have their own decision and it's not for me to judge. But it is stated in our rules that every senator-judge should be impartial as much as possible until the case has been heard. Even so, inhibition is a voluntary decision on the part of any judge. It is not voted upon by the members of the senator-judges themselves.) Asked if the impeachment trial will proceed as scheduled on July 30, Escudero said that it should "in the ordinary course of events," unless the senators decide otherwise. Based on the proposed schedule, the oath-taking of newly elected senator-judges before the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, will take place on July 29 at 9 a.m., followed by a plenary session in the afternoon. The trial proper will then begin on July 30 from 9 a.m. until 2:00 pm. Last week, Escudero announced that the reading of impeachment raps against Duterte would be moved from June 2 to June 11, as the Congress needs to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on June 14. House Speaker Martin Romualdez agree that convening the impeachment court for the trial of the Vice President is up to the Senate 'The Senate President's letter to me is pretty straightforward. Kaya 'yung impeachment complaint ay nasa Senado na. So we leave it to their sound discretion as to how they want to proceed and conduct [the impeachment trial],' Romualdez told reporters. "The Senate President outlined the priority measures that they would like to prioritize first, so we have to respect the decision of the Senate President,' he added. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 congressmen endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes mainly over alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza and the President's cousin and Speaker Romualdez. The Vice President, for her part, said she is looking forward to her impeachment trial in the upcoming 20th Congress because she 'wants a bloodbath." She clarified over the weekend that she meant her own blood, even likening the impeachment trial to a crucifixion. —with a report from Llanesca Panti/AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 hours ago
- GMA Network
Escudero: Marcos didn't order postponement of reading of impeachment raps vs VP Sara
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. was not behind the delay of the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment by the House prosecution panel against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Senate, Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said Monday. At a press conference, Escudero explained that the decision came after the Legislative-Executive Development Council (LEDAC) meeting on Thursday, May 29, upon consultation with some senators. 'No, it did not,' the Senate President said when asked if the suspension was a directive from Marcos. 'I was not even able to tell Martin, the Speaker, about that. He found out through the letter that I sent him,' he added. Escudero also said the delay has nothing to do with his bid to continue his Senate leadership in the 20th Congress. 'I don't see the connection whatsoever. No…It has nothing to do, especially given the fact that the 20th Congress will have a totally different composition,' he said. Last week, Escudero announced that the reading of impeachment raps against Duterte would be moved from June 2 to June 11, as the Congress needs to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on June 14. He said that the Senate's convening as an impeachment court may proceed also on June 11. 'June 11, ipe-present ng Kamara ang Articles of Impeachment—paguusapan, pagde-debatihan, at kung wala ay ire-refer 'yan sa committee of rules na magsisilbing senyal at hudyat para i-create ang impeachment court sa [June] 11 din,' he said. (On June 11, the House will present the Articles of Impeachment—we'll discuss it, debate about it, and after that, it will be referred to the committee of rules that will serve as a sign and signal to create the impeachment court on June 11 as well.) 'Susumpa kami, iko-convene ang impeachment court, mag-aapprove ng rules, at magi-issue ng summons. Doon magwawakas ang procedure na gagawin sa ilalim ng 19th Congress sa June 11,' he added. (We will take an oath and the impeachment court will be convened. The rules will be approved, and summons will be issued. That's when the procedure under the 19th Congress will end, on June 11.) With the postponement, Escudero explained that nobody loses nor benefit because even if the Senate convenes now as impeachment court, they still can't hold the trial in the 19th Congress due to limited time and therefore needs to be passed to the next Congress. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
