When Majority Becomes Minority

23 July 2007 - Senator Manuel Villar was re-elected by the Group of 15 to the Senate Presidency together with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as President Pro Tempore and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan as Majority Floor Leader. Villar became Senate President not because of the Opposition Bloc which numerically had a majority than the Administration Bloc. Villar became Senate President because of 8 votes from the pro-Administration, consisting of Angara, Arroyo, Enrile, Gordon, Lapid, Revilla, Santiago, and Zubiri; 2 votes from the so-called independents: Honasan and Pangilinan and 4 from the Genuine Opposition, Cayetano (P), Escudero and Estrada plus the turncoat (she was with the Pimentel Group initially), Cayetano (P).

Nene Pimentel has 8 votes: Lacson, Madrigal, Roxas, Aquino, Biazon, Trillanes, Pimentel and Villar (a courtesy vote). Had the Genuine Opposition really followed the mandate given by the people last May 2007, the minority today would have been the majority in the Senate with the Pimentel 8, Cayetano (A), Escudero, Estrada and Pangilinan or a total of 12. This can further go up if Cayetano (P) would join them, hence a Magic 13. But that's magic, so today we are left with no gain after May.

On the way to the Senate Presidency, the Villar Camp has stated that the Lacson-led camp pushing for Pimentel forgot to consult them. In retaliation, Villar decided to tap the Wednesday Club and "took care of Estrada." A simple formula indeed. What Estrada wants, Estrada gets and whoever has the Junior Estrada in their folds, gets the Senate Presidency. Get Sen. Arroyo, one gets his foot inside the belly of the pro-Administration. While the Lacson-led (or is it Roxas-led?) Group started revealing all their plans in media (even the secret voting part), creating a lot of noise in the process, the Villar Group was so quiet, one can't even see the shadows moving behind. Cayetano (A) will definitely join Villar since he is the Secretary General of the Nacionalistas. He will bring his sister with her. Taguig is close to Las Pinas too. Escudero was the poster boy of the FPJ for President as its spokesperson. He is with NPC (Danding Cojuangco). Silent water runs deep when it comes to Escudero and Lacson. Estrada is simple to discern - President Pro Tempore in 3 years is not bad. Better than the father when he was senator.

Let us see how the spoils will be divided. Although most of the ranking positions have been filled up, there are 2 major committees that matter most in a deliberative body: Blue Ribbon and Finance. In the old days of the Senate, much is said about the Seniority Rule. Today under Villar II, it would seem the exception rather than the general rule. In fact, Villar may just have painted himself to a corner with the news that the pro-Administration Group led by Sen. Santiago is insisting for a status quo in the Blue Ribbon Committee. How would Cayetano, Escudero and Estrada take that? Will Pangilinan leave his position if the Santiago Group becomes more aggressive with its position?

The Blue Ribbon is key if we base on the campaign platform of the Genuine Opposition. Corruption was the mantra, but then again who is more genuine between the majority and the minority? Or are they all shades of grey?