Escudero might retain his post as Senate president, says Estrada

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero adjourns the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. (Photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Although he is not ruling out a possible leadership change in the upper chamber, Senator Jinggoy Estrada is optimistic that Francis “Chiz” Escudero will retain his post as Senate president.

Estrada is holding the second highest post among senators, being the Senate president pro tempore, next to Escudero.

“Everything is still possible. Everything is still fluid,” Estrada said in an interview on Friday when asked about the possible changing of the guard in the Senate.

Having been a lawmaker for years, a leadership shake-up is nothing new to Estrada, especially whenever a new Congress opens.

The present 19th Congress will still resume on June 2 for a six-day session before it adjourns sine die on June 13.

The 20th Congress will commence on July 28.

“I’ve been a witness to that and everything is still fluid. But I’m confident probably Senate President Escudero will still retain his position as the Senate president,” Estrada noted.

The senator was tight-lipped, only saying “secret,” when asked what was the basis of his statement.

But he believes it will be better for the Senate if Escudero will stay as the Senate leader to preside over the  impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“It is an advantage for the impeachment court to have a lawyer who is going to be presiding in the impeachment trial,” Estrada pointed out.

The Senate is set to convene as an impeachment court on June 3 to hear the case against Duterte.

Senator-elect Vicente “Tito” Sotto III himself has openly declared his readiness to return as Senate president if supported by the majority or at least 13 of the 24 senators.

According to Estrada, Sotto has not reached out to him yet about this issue and he doubts if the latter will do so considering that he is Escudero’s deputy.

Estrada also dismissed speculations on social media that he was one of two senators being considered to serve as an interim Senate president during the remaining session days of the present Congress.

“I will decline it. That is not true,” he stressed.

“I will decline it. Why should I accept it? Give me a reason why I should accept being interim Senate president for one month? What for?” he wondered aloud./apl