• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Returning Senator Bam Aquino said on Tuesday (July 9) that he remains with the independent bloc contrary to claims that he has left the opposition and joined the Senate majority.
Aquino met with Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Tuesday to thank him for the support during the May 12 elections.
The senator strongly debunked claims that he abandoned Senator Risa Hontiveros, who is an opposition in the Senate.
“No, we’re still together in the independent bloc,” he said.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada earlier said that Aquino and Pangilinan are likely to join the majority in the 20th Congress, with expectations that they will chair the committees on education and agriculture, respectively.
Aquino said the Senate is now finalizing the chairmanships of the various committees.
Hinting his interest to chair the education committee, he said “the education crisis in our country needs to be addressed. So mahalaga yung committee na makukuha natin. Pinag-usapan namin ‘yon (It is important that we will get such committee. We have already discussed it).”
“But definitely, pagdating sa stand on many, many issues, we’re also very together on that,” he said, referring to himself, Hontiveros and Senator Francis Pangilinan.
Hontiveros had repeatedly said she was hopeful the three of them at least could be in an independent bloc.
When Aquino was asked if he will support Senate President Francis Escudero, he replied: “We are finalizing that.”
During the May 12 elections, Escudero has openly expressed his support for the return of Aquino to the Senate. | GB
