Under a new batch of leaders, the Senate is not expected to fare any better or cast off its lackluster image. The chamber is known for the overly bloated egos of its 24 members getting in the way of efficient legislation.
Senator Migz Zubiri opted for an honorable exit by resigning, paving the way for Chiz Escudero to become the new Senate President. Escudero, thus, was elected instead of benefiting from a hostile takeover. What follows is a shakeup in the key posts, including the committee heads.
Zubiri was candid enough to admit that he failed Palace expectations, initially in the Charter change or cha-cha push and more recently the probe on the alleged leaked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency(PDEA) documents that wasted time on a prejudiced witness.
The foot-dragging by the Senate on Resolution of Both Houses 6 that seeks to ease the restricting economic provisions of the Constitution ignited animosity between the Palace and Zubiri.
It started with his decision to support most of the senators’ position not to go along with the People’s Initiative shortcut to cha-cha. The House of Representatives approved RBH 7, its version of the economic cha-cha proposal, last March.
The Senate, however, said it would not be rushed into approving RBH 6, its counterpart resolution.
Up to now, the Senate remains in the deliberation stage on RBH 6 as the window for its approval narrows with Congress set to adjourn sine die on 25 May.
In both measures, the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” is sought to be included in the amendments to three specific economic provisions of the Constitution concerning public services, higher education, and the advertising industry.
As the deliberations extend, the collateral effect is the opportunity growing considerably smaller for the crucial reform to be achieved under the term of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Escudero will have the hard task of shepherding his peers to speed up approval of a long list of administration bills that have stalled in the Senate, including the revision of the Rice Tariffication Law and the proposed Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry Development Act.
President Marcos knows the approval of the difficult reform measures would take less effort in the first half of his term when his political capital is high.
Zubiri reached the end of his line when he tolerated an extended hearing on Jonathan Morales, the former PDEA agent who implicated the President in illegal drugs.
Morales proved to be in the same mold as “Bikoy” who tried to link the entire family of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the narcotics trade. The former PDEA operative, it turned out, is facing charges ranging from false testimony to mishandling drug cases filed in various courts.
With the tainted witness, even Zubiri said later that Morales did not have the credibility to testify. Yet, he was allowed free rein in the hearings to spread what amounted to gossip about the agency’s investigations.
A former senator placed Morales in the same category as past Senate witnesses Antonio Marquez aka “Ador Mawanay” and Mary Go aka “Rosebud” in a social media post where he called them “the jukebox gang.”
“Guess who dropped the coins to make them sing?” the former member of the Senate posted.
President Marcos earlier described Morales as a professional liar without credibility. The Chief Executive likened Morales to a jukebox that would sing any song for a fee.
Zubiri defended his decision to allow Morales his 15 minutes of fame for transparency, but he lost sight of the waste of the Senate’s time and resources while many relevant legislations pend.
Escudero, hopefully, will have the heart to make things different under his watch.
