Senate President Francis Escudero Secures Early Strong Support
If the elections for the 20th Congress’ Senate presidency were held today or tomorrow, Senate President Francis Escudero would confidently retain his post, local leaders noted. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano shared this insight during a recent press briefing, emphasizing Escudero’s firm backing in the chamber.
Cayetano revealed that Escudero could count on more than 13 votes if the election happened immediately. “If the elections were to be held today or tomorrow, Escudero would surely win. But having said that, it’s still far. It’s going to be held in the fourth week of July,” he explained.
Support for Escudero’s Leadership
The senator expressed his personal support for Escudero, highlighting the positive impact of his leadership on the Senate. “I think the path of the chamber last year was good. There’s no perfect majority, there’s no perfect senator, Senate, or president. But if you see that there’s energy, there’s vision, there’s principle. So I’ve worked with the present candidates,” Cayetano added.
Understanding the Senate Presidency Election
Cayetano clarified the election process for the chamber’s leaders, noting that a candidate needs at least 13 votes to secure the Senate President seat. He also mentioned the tradition where the losing party assumes the minority role in the Senate.
Reports from within the chamber’s halls indicate that aside from Escudero, former Senate President Tito Sotto and presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos are also contenders for the Senate presidency in the upcoming 20th Congress.
Members of the Duterte bloc, including Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and Sen. Bong Go, confirmed that both Escudero and Sotto have reached out to them to gain support.
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