Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III takes his oath before his predecessor Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.*Voltaire F. Domingo | Senate photo
Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Monday, Sept. 8, reclaimed the Senate presidency, replacing Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, while the name of Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez was being floated as a likely candidate to replace House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Sotto said the Senate under his watch will fight corruption and uphold transparency and true accountability.
“Our people are enraged by corruption. Corruption that is now seen, heard, and felt by the Filipinos more than ever. The failed flood control projects that’s supposed to protect the lives, livelihood, and properties of our countrymen, the dilapidated classrooms for our students, and the lack of quality farm-to-market roads to aid our farmers, all are engulfed in corruption, hindering the progress of the nation as a whole,” Sotto said in his acceptance speech.
Senator Panfilo Lacson is now the Senate President Pro-Tempore and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri is the Majority Leader.
“I congratulate Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III on his election as Senate President. I hope that under his leadership, safeguards will be institutionalized to protect government funds from ghost projects, and that the Senate will continue to pass laws that address the real needs of the Filipino people,” Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
Benitez could not be reached for comment on talk that may be the next House Speaker.
His son Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said his father’s becoming House Speaker “all depends on the president and members of the House.”
His father would not push for the position if other members don’t want it, he said.
The floating of his father’s name is coming from other House members who are feeling the need for change and stability, he added.
“Does Congressman Albee Benitez bring that stability? We’ll find out in the next few days and weeks what the true sentiment of the members of the House is”, his son said.
It would be to the advantage of Bacolod and Negros Occidental if his father was the Speaker of the House, he added.*