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No. 58 - June 5, 2001 > Page 2
Who Will Rule The Senate?
When the 11th Congress adjourns on 7 June, eleven
senators will be left to serve their terms until 2004. Of
the eleven, three are from LAKAS (Robert Barbers, Loren Legarda-Leviste,
and Renato Cayetano); six are known supporters of former President
Estrada (Robert Jaworski, Ramon Revilla, Blas Ople, John Osmeña,
Teresa Aquino-Oreta and Vicente Sotto III); and two are known
mavericks in the recent impeachment trial (Aquilino Pimentel,
Jr. and Rodolfo Biazon).
Based on the COMELEC's proclamation of winners
for the 2001 Senatorial elections, eight from the People Power
Coalition (Juan Flavier, Joker Arroyo, Ralph Recto, Ramon
Magsaysay Jr., Franklin Drilon, Sergio Osmeña III,
Manuel Villar, and Francis Pangilinan) were on the top 13
senatorial tally. Senators Flavier, Magsaysay, Drilon, and
Osmeña are reelectionists while Arroyo, Recto, and
Villar were former congressmen. Among them, only Pangilinan
is a neophyte in Congress. However, he has been known as the
youngest elected councilor of Quezon City and prior to his
senatorial bid, headed ABS-CBN's legal desk.
On the other hand, four from the Puwersa ng
Masa (Edgardo Angara, Loi Ejercito-Estrada, Gringo Honasan,
and Panfilo Lacson) have made it to the list of 13. Of the
four opposition bets, only Angara and Honasan have the legislative
experience to contest priority administration bills while
the other two are specialists on various fields-medical doctor
Ejercito-Estrada and former PNP General Lacson. Meanwhile,
independent candidate Noli de Castro topped the list with
more than 16 million votes.
In the 12th Congress, no single party will totally
dominate the Senate. Unless, of course, Senators Biazon and
Pimentel, with de Castro, support the administration. In this
scenario, the administration will have a 14 to 10 edge over
the opposition. Note however the possibility of Sen. Revilla's
defection to the administration or Sen. Biazon's likely support
to coalition party (LDP-PnM) decisions.
Likely Senate Mix
|
Independent
|
Lakas-NUCD-UMDP
|
PDP-Laban
|
|
Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
|
Liberal Party
|
| Jaworski,
R. |
Barbers, R. |
Sotto, V. |
Pangilinan,
F. * |
| Revilla,
R. |
Cayetano,
R. |
Biazon, R. |
Pimentel,
Jr. A. |
| *Osmeņa,
J. |
Legarda, L. |
Angara, E.
^ |
Osmeņa, III
S. |
| De Castro,
N. |
Arroyo, J.
* |
Lacson, P.
^ |
|
| Honasan,
G. ^ |
Recto, R.
* |
Estrada-Ejercito,
L. ^ |
|
| Villar, M.
* |
Flavier, J.
* |
Ople, B. |
|
| Drilon, F.
* |
|
Aquino-Oreta,
T. |
|
| Magsaysay,
Jr. R. * |
|
|
|
* People Power Coalition
Member
^ Puwersa ng Masa Member |
MORE
>>
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More:
Graduates Of The 11th
Congress
Who Will Rule The Senate?
The Battle For House Speakership
CongressWatch Reports
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