Senators deny coup vs Zubiri

Senators on Monday rallied behind Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, denying claims of a leadership change in the upper chamber.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, who some sources earlier said may take over from Zubiri, affirmed in a chance interview that the latter still enjoyed the trust of his fellow senators.

“There is no leadership change, as far as I know. We have our full support behind the leadership of SP Miguel Zubiri,” Legarda said.

Likewise, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said members of the supermajority still supported Zubiri, who has been on top of the 24-member chamber since July 2022.

“We would say, as far as I and the members of the majority are concerned, and we have talked over the past 24 hours, we are solidly behind our inspirational leader, Senator Migz Zubiri,” Villanueva said.

At this time, he added, “nobody is more deserving” to lead the Senate than Zubiri.

For his part, Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito suspected the rumored coup against Zubiri may have had something to do with the People’s Initiative, which has caused a rift between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Standing his ground

“Maybe it was a divide and conquer strategy by the House of Representatives due to the PI,” Ejercito said.

He stressed that the majority of his colleagues had “full trust and confidence” in the leadership of Zubiri.

“He has stood his ground and has fought for the institution and his principles,” he said.

Zubiri, meanwhile, said he would remain as Senate President as long as he had the support of his colleagues.

“I am extremely honored to serve at the pleasure of my colleagues. It is just like that. I leave it to the wisdom of my majority,” he said.

Asked where the call for a change in the Senate leadership came from, Zubiri said he had known about a purported coup since last week.

“You know there is a concerted effort to discredit the Senate. I had learned about it last week. For us, it is just a job. We will just focus on the job at hand, and we’ll not lose sight of the most important things to help the Filipino people,” he said.

Senators and congressmen had figured in heated verbal exchanges over the People’s Initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution through the creation of a Constituent Assembly, or ConAss, where both chambers of Congress would vote as one body, thereby putting the senators at a numerical disadvantage.

Said to be the brainchild of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the PI was marred by allegations of signature-buying through cash dole-outs or aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Both Romualdez and the DSWD have denied the allegations.

Zubiri last week announced that he and Romualdez had agreed to end the rift between the two chambers over the people’s initiative.

Clear-cut rules

Still, three members of the House, namely, Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin ganged up on Zubiri on Sunday, saying he was an ineffective leader compared to Romualdez.

“Here in the House,” Roman said, “the rules are clear-cut. The Speaker is in charge. He gives the command. What about in the upper chamber, who is in charge? Who’s on top?”

Senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay echoed their support for Zubiri, labeling the rumored coup as “intrigue.”

“Absolutely untrue. We trust in the leadership of Sen Zubiri,” Poe said.

“It was just intrigue,” Binay said.

Imee unaware

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos said she was unaware of a plan to unseat Zubiri.

“I don’t know; I am too busy. I have been roaming around; if not for the AICS or to the provinces, I was focusing on the hearings. I have not heard anything,” Marcos said.

“In reality, nobody wants to be Senate President. It’s a tough job. He’s always stuck in the middle,” she added.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said the same thing, noting that the plan, if true, would not succeed.

“I don’t know of any (coup). I was not approached. If there is one, I don’t think it will succeed. I think it’s just intrigue coming from outside the Senate,” he said.