(Eagle News)–Senator Cynthia Villar on Monday, June 3, refused to sign a resolution backing the continued leadership of Senator Tito Sotto in the Senate.
Villar, who was being touted by some as a replacement of Sotto, instead called off Senators Koko Pimentel and Manny Pacquiao, who had been urging their colleagues to sign the resolution drafted by Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Pacquiao is a member of PDP-Laban, while Pimentel is the party president.
Other incoming senators who are members of the party are Bong Go, Bato dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino.
“Bakit ako pipirma dyan? Kung ipahamak n’yo ang aking kapartido? Ako nakapirma dyan. Hihintayin ko na maayos si Pia at si Imee,” Villar said, referring to Senators-elect Pia Cayetano and Imee Marcos, who are her partymates in the Nacionalista party.
It was Marcos who had said there was a push for Villar, who topped the Senate race in the May elections, to be Senate president in the next Senate.
Thirteen senators have signed Lacson’s resolution of support for Sotto, but three of them are outgoing senators.
Sotto will need the support of 13 senators to remain as president of the next Senate.
“Sa mga kapartido n’yo, wag n’yo ako idadamay sa away n’yo. Bakit hindi kausapin ni Sotto ‘yung mga kapartido n’yo para matapos ang gulo n’yo. Bakit ako isasali n’yo sa away n’yo? Bakit kayo ganyan?” Villar told Pacquiao.
“Kasi ikaw dinala mo kay Sotto yung mga kapartido ko. Sabi n’yo maggu-good time lang kayo e biglang sinabi n’yo supporting sila,” Villar added. Meanne Corvera
