Sen. Risa Hontiveros To Remain an Independent Minority Senator
RISA HONTIVEROS – The Senator stressed that she is not hurt over the possibility that incoming senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan will be part of the majority bloc.
With the opening of the 20th Congress, several senators have come together and formed blocs in the Senate. The allies of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte have formed the so-called Duterte bloc which is poised to support Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero to remain in his position.
Senator Bato dela Rosa claimed that the support of the Duterte bloc to Escudero comes with no favor or position in exchange of it. According to him, he just likes the leadership of the current Senate President and the Duterte bloc finds no reason not to support him.
The Duterte bloc is composed of seven (7) senators. They are the following:
- Bato dela Rosa
- Bong Go
- Robin Padilla
- Imee Marcos
- Rodante Marcoleta
- Mark Villar
- Camille Villar
The veteran lawmakers in the Senate also came with the “conscience bloc” as revealed by incoming Sen. Tito Sotto. The bloc supports the return of Sotto, a former Senate President during the 18th Congress, to the highest post in the Senate. The following are the members of the “conscience bloc”:
- Migz Zubiri
- Tito Sotto
- Loren Legarda
- Ping Lacson
Sen. Migz Zubiri has invited Sen. Risa Hontiveros to join the “veterans bloc”. The invitation came amid the claim of Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada that returning senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino will most likely join the Senate majority.
Based on a report on GMA News, Sen. Risa Hontiveros is decided on remaining as an independent minority senator. She was half of the two-man minority bloc in the 19th Congress together with former Senate minority leader Koko Pimentel.
On the possibility that incoming senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino will join the Senate majority, Sen. Risa Hontiveros claimed that she is not hurt. Based on the report, the lady Senator stressed during a chance interview at the Department of Justice that she will continue to fight.
“Hindi ako nahu-hurt dahil, ‘yun na nga eh, sabi ko nga, basta patuloy akong maninindigan,” Hontiveros said.
Based on the report, Sen. Risa Hontiveros also stressed that she is like each one of them who has her own strategies. According to her, she will focus on her goal to strengthen the opposition not just within but also outside the Senate.
“Kung ang bawat isa sa amin ay may sariling diskarte, ako rin naman po, basta nakatutok pa rin ako do’n sa layunin na palakasin ‘yung oposisyon, hindi lang sa loob, pati sa labas ng Senado,” she expressed.
Meanwhile, during his recent visit to Negros Occidental, incoming Sen. Bam Aquino junked the claim of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada that he and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan will likely join the Senate majority.