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Zubiri 'heartbroken' by false support, not with stepping down

Philippines | National

Zubiri 'heartbroken' by false support, not with stepping down

By Dhel Nazario

Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri delivers a speech as he steps down from his post as Senate President on May 20, 2024. (Photo by Arnold Quizol / MANILA BULLETIN)

Stepping down as the Senate leader on Monday, May 20, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri admitted that he was heartbroken not because of losing the position but due to the so-called support expressed to him.

"I felt heartbroken not because of the position, I'm heartbroken because of those who committed to be steadfast with us, have the same ideals, and all of a sudden biglang nawala po (suddenly disappeared)," he said in a press conference.

Zubiri was replaced as Senate President by Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero.

Asked if Escudero's camp reached out to him prior to this he replied: "Di sila nakipag-usap sa amin (They did not talk to us)."

"Yung nakipag-usap sa akin, yung nag-traydor sa akin (The one who talked to me was the one who betrayed me). Full support, ngayon (then) no support," he added.

However, Zubiri said that it's all good with him and he does not want to rain on Escudero's parade.

In his speech during during the plenary session, he mentioned that he "failed to follow instructions from the powers that be."

Just a week ago, Zubiri disclosed that members of the “Marcos group” are angry at him for allowing the Senate probe on the alleged leaked confidential information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to continue.

Recently, several pro-administration lawmakers from the House of Representatives questioned Zubiri’s leadership for letting Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa pursue a hearing that is supposedly based on nothing but hearsay.

However, he did not directly state if his unseating had something to do with the PDEA hearing which implicated the name of President Marcos.

The Senate leadership change occurred ahead of Congress’ sine die adjournment on May 24, 2024.

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Senate of the Philippines Senator Migz Zubiri

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