By Vanne Terrazola
Senator Richard Gordon on Saturday said he, too, will sign the draft resolution seeking to retain the leadership of Senate President Vicente Sotto III in the next Congress.
Senator Richard Gordon (CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN)
Gordon answered in the affirmative when asked in a radio interview if he would support the resolution signifying the Upper Chamber's vote of confidence in Sotto leadership.
On Friday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the measure will determine if majority bloc senators truly wanted the retention of the current leadership. The resolution was initiated by Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao, Lacson said.
"Oo naman, suportado ko naman si Sen. Sotto, noong araw pa kami magkasama. Maayos naman ang pagkakatabko niya sa Senado (Of course, I support Sen. Sotto, I have worked with him for a long time. And he led the Senate well)," Gordon told radio DWIZ Saturday afternoon.
Like his fellow incumbent senators, Gordon believes that Sotto will still be the Senate's chief even as some neophyte senators were already planning to field Sen. Cynthia Villar for Senate presidency.
"Lamang si Senator Sotto nang malaki. Hindi ako natitigatig diyan (Sen. Sotto has a huge advantage. So I'm not worried over that)," he said.
He added that he was confident that his fellow incumbent senators will stay true to their word to continue supporting Sotto.
Gordon, meanwhile, lamented how personality politics "has changed" Senate. He said it was not good for senators to scramble for committee chairmanships, reiterating the chamber follows the tradition of equity of the incumbent.
"Masyado nang masalimuot ang pulitiko natin," he added.
He said he hoped the neophyte senators will not resort to vote-buying, as was claimed to be happening in the House of Representative amid the race for speakership.
"I hope di mangyari sa Senate presidency, syempre maraming pera 'yang mga naririnig natin," Gordon said.
He maintained that a Senate president should be able to keep the chamber's stability.
"Hindi lang naman pera 'yan, o popularity. Kailangan magaling ka mag-steer ng Senado. Dapat consensus-builder, maraming compromises ang ginagawa diyan...Kailangan nakikinig sa lahat, kailangan marunong magtimpla," he added.