As newly elected senators prepare to join the 20th Congress, the Senate faces a potential leadership shake-up — prompting questions about shifting blocs and alliances, their composition, and who will lead them.
Political observers are closely watching the fate of the Senate minority following the surprising victories of opposition-aligned candidates, senators-elect Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan. But with continued tensions between the Marcos and Duterte camps, a key question remains: Which bloc will Duterte allies choose to join?
Vice President Sara Duterte earlier gave an indication of which direction the winning Duterte Senate candidates would head to. A day after the election results were known, she declared that they are forming a “powerful and principled opposition.”
Responding to questions, Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said in a news briefing on Wednesday, May 21, that she would prefer to stay in the minority bloc with Aquino and Pangilinan. But she also made it clear that she would not join the Duterte allies if they choose to align with the minority.
Asked if she would join the Duterte bloc should they form the minority, Hontiveros said, “Well, I have no plans to join the Duterte bloc.”
“Kung sinasabi nilang opposition sila, senyales na naghahanda silang mag-vie para maging minority bloc or minority dito sa Senado,” Hontiveros said in a press briefing on Wednesday, May 21.
(If they say they’re the opposition, it’s a sign that they’re preparing to vie for the minority bloc or minority here in the Senate.)
Reelected senators Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa, along with Senator-elect Rodante Marcoleta ran as candidates of the Duterte camp and had presented themselves as the “opposition” during the election campaign. They will join fellow Duterte ally Senator Robin Padilla, PDP-Laban president, in the 20th Congress.
Reelected Senator Imee Marcos, the President’s sister, has also aligned with the Duterte camp after withdrawing from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s slate in the last elections.
What about Senator-elect Camille Villar, whose candidacy was endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte? In a Facebook post, Villar expressed gratitude for the endorsement and vowed never to leave the Vice President’s side. Is her sense of gratitude strong enough to make her even consider joining the Senate minority bloc?
‘Independent bloc’
Hontiveros bared their Plan B in case the Duterte allies become the minority bloc in the Senate.
“Kung makukuha nila ‘yung label ng minority, may option pa rin po ako or kami, kung mag-decision po kami, na isang independent bloc na magpapatuloy talaga sa pag-check and balance, magpapatuloy sa pag-fiscalize, at pati sa labas ng Senado, magpapatuloy sa pagbubuo ng oposisyon — pareho sa Duterte at sa kina Presidente,” she added.
(If they manage to get the label of the minority, we still have the option to decide whether or not to form an independent bloc that will continue to provide checks and balances, continue fiscalizing, and even outside the Senate, continue building the opposition — both with Duterte and the President.)
Senate alliances and blocs ultimately come down to numbers. Even if Aquino and Pangilinan join Hontiveros, the Duterte allies would still have the edge. If that happens, Hontiveros said the “genuine opposition” would form an independent bloc.
“Kung ano man, ‘yung maging final organization dito sa Senado, basta ang importante sa akin ay may manatiling isang pole, isang poste, isang center of gravity na patuloy na mag-check and balance, patuloy na mag-fiscalize. Independent bloc. At ‘yun po ‘yung mga pinag-uusapan namin nina Senator Kiko at Senator Bam mula noong nakaraang taon,” Hontiveros said.
(Whatever the final organization of the Senate may be, what’s important to me is that there remains a pole, a pillar, a center of gravity that continues to provide checks and balances, that continues to fiscalize. An independent bloc. That’s what Senator Kiko, Senator Bam, and I have been discussing since last year.)
The minority bloc in the Senate serves as a crucial counterbalance to the majority, typically composed of senators allied with the President. It represents dissenting views and acts as a fiscalizing force to keep the majority in check.
Hontiveros said that there have been “many precedents of a genuine or real minority,” like when Franklin Drilon led them as Senate minority leader in the 17th Congress and 18th Congress, and also in the 19th Congress with Senate Minority Leader Kiko Pimentel. She said their two-member minority bloc “posted some victories by leveraging our small number, by taking sharp positions on issues.”
Will a Senate minority under the Duterte allies have the same success? – Rappler.com