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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Pangilinan is new majority leader
* Osmena heads CA
* Health committee offered to Loi
WITH only 16 days left before the 12th Congress ends, the Senate chose a new majority leader and reorganized some committee chairmanships.
After the three-hour caucus of the majority bloc, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said he has accepted the post of Senate majority leader.
Sen. Loren Legarda has relinquished the post after she decided to run as vice presidential running mate of opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr. under the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) banner.
Pangilinan said he received overwhelming support from the 13 members of the group.
On the other hand, Pangilinan said upon assumption of the post, he has to leave the other committees.
As agreed, the committee on education would be given to Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier, who will relinquish the health committee, which will be offered Sen. Luisa Estrada, who is a doctor.
The justice committee went to Sen. Joker Arroyo while the ethics committee went to Sen. Robert Barbers.
The housing and urban planning and national defense committees were assigned to Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.
In a statement, Sen. Ramon Magsaysay has relinquished the defense committee and turned it over to Biazon, who is the former vice chairman.
“I give up the chairmanship of the Senate committee on national defense and security for Senator Pong Biazon, from whom I took over the post in 2001. He is a seasoned legislator and expert in national defense matters given his military background,” Magsaysay said.
On the other hand, Sen. John Osmeña, has been offered the energy committee and has also been nominated to be included in the powerful Committee on Appointments (CA) representing the majority bloc.
Biazon and Osmeña joined the majority group after they were included in the senatorial line-up of administration’s senatorial slate
The majority now has 13 members against nine of the minority. JPM
(January 13, 2004 issue)
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