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Monday, May 09, 2005
Senate president: Ouster move fabricated
ILOILO CITY -- Senate President Franklin Drilon brushed aside the report of an ouster move against him.
"Waay man sila (They haven't done anything). They have all denied it. Imbento lang ina sang isa ka congressman (It's just an invention of a congressman)," Drilon told reporters Sunday during the opening of the Palarong Pambansa 2005 at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
The Ilonggo senator, however, didn't name the legislator he was referring to.
Drilon added, "Waay ko ginasapak ina. Ang obra lang ang akon (I don't mind it. I just work)."
The alleged attempt to replace him reportedly stems from his failure to push for a 12 percent increase in value-added tax rates.
Senators Edgardo Angara and Sergio Osmeña III denied that the minority group is initiating the move. They believed the coup attempt is nothing but a rumor.
"The Senate president's leadership is stable. Maybe they are bickering in the administration but as far as the minority is concerned, there is no effort to remove Senator Drilon," Angara said.
A report said there is a plan to oust Drilon and replace him with Senator Manuel Villar because of the Senate chief's failure to rally his colleagues in the Senate to approve a two percent increase in VAT.
No one from the majority bloc could deny or confirm the alleged coup attempt.
Osmeña, however, went to Drilon's rescue and said that in fairness to Drilon, he respected the sentiments the senators and did not impose on them.
Based on a gentleman's agreement, Drilon and Villar agreed to share the top Senate post, with Drilon serving the first two years of the 13th Congress and Villar handling the remaining years.Villar will start to lead the Senate in July 2006.
(May 9, 2005 issue)
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