Escudero says he turned down Senate's second-top post: 'I don't need it'

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Escudero confirmed that he was offered the second-highest post in the Senate, but he turned it down.

According to him, a member of the majority bloc led by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian made the offer to him.

“I told them I wasn’t interested. I don’t need it. Who wants it? Whoever wants it can have it,” he said in his podcast “Chiz Wiz” posted on Wednesday.

Article continues after this advertisement

And then, he said he had suggested Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to take the post, citing his long years of service in the upper chamber.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

“After all his years in the Senate—he is probably the longest-serving member of the chamber at present—he has never served as Senate President pro tempore,” Escudero said.

“There’s a first for everything. As far as I’m concerned, he wanted it and I didn’t,” he recalled.

“There was no reason for us to argue over it or compete for it. I was more than happy to let him have it because it’s not something I need, seek, or aspire to,” he added.

Sotto was installed Senate president pro tempore during the special session of Congress called by President Ferdinand Jr. on June 17.

Article continues after this advertisement

Escudero’s name was also mentioned as a possible presiding officer in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, but this, he said, has yet to be decided when the trial starts on July  6.

The amended rules on impeachment now allow other senators, aside from the Senate president, to preside over all other impeachment cases, except when the president of the Philippines is on trial.

Article continues after this advertisement

In the case of the president of the Philippines, the trial would be presided over by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. /apl

(Note: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.)

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.