No Senate leadership talks in lunch meeting with Escudero 鈥� Villanueva
Senate President Francis Escudero (photo from Senate SMU) and Sen. Joel Villanueva (photo from Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Will there be a change in Senate leadership after the election of new senators?
There was no such discussion, according to Sen. Joel Villanueva at least in his recent meeting with some colleagues, which included Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Villanueva said over lunch on Monday, they talked about the upcoming elections, like those who think would make it or not to the Senate.
There were no talks about the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, except perhaps a brief discussion about the robes that senator-judges would wear during the trial.
READ: ‘All sewn:’ Sara Duterte impeachment trial robes ready for senator-judges
“Parang we’re just making of fun of ourselves na magsusuot ng robe,” Villanueva said at the Kapihan sa Senado on Tuesday
(It’s like we’re just making fun of ourselves by wearing robes.)
Asked later if there was discussion about the Senate leadership as there will be new senators joining in the 20th Congress, Villanueva said: “Wala naman. It’s more of sinong papasok. Sinong hindi sa tingin namin.”
(Nothing really. It’s more about who will attend, who won’t—at least based on what we think.)
In May 2024, Escudero took the Senate presidency from Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.
After a three-month break, the Senate will resume its session on June 2 and is set to convene as an impeachment court the following day.
The impeachment trial, on the other hand, is set to start on July 30.
READ: Chiz Escudero is new Senate president; Miguel Zubiri out
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives last February 5 for alleged misuse of confidential funds of her office and the Department of Education, which she previously headed, and for her alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualez, among others.
