Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino (left), Senator Robin Padilla (Facebook)

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino told newly-installed Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) President Senator Robinhood Padilla to set aside politics and focus first on responding to those affected by Super Typhoon "Carina".

“Sa panahong ito, ‘wag muna tayong mag-usap patungkol sa politika; mas mainam magtulungan tayo para sa ating mga kababayan na naging biktima ng bagyong Carina (During these times, let's not talk about politics, it's better that we help our citizens who fell victim to Typhoon Carina),” Tolentino said in a statement Saturday, July 27 directed at Padilla.

Padilla had issued a press release, “proposing” that Tolentino resign from the PDP after being named the new Senate majority leader.

As the new Senate majority leader, it could be perceived that Tolentino has already jumped the political fence, and has joined the ranks of senators allied with President Marcos--as opposed to his party-mates at PDP, which is closely associated with former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Tolentino may have to resign from the PDP, "so he can attend to his added duties as new Senate majority leader,” Padilla said.

But Tolentino was quick to shrug off the proposal, and instead urged Padilla to focus on efforts to assist Carina’s victims and set aside politics for the meantime.