Drilon returns as Senate President; Belmonte retains seat as House Speaker

Re-elected Senate President Franklin Drilon. File photo from Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Liberal Party of the Philippines remains strong as two of its members were re-elected to head the 16th Philippine Congress.

On July 22, Senator Franklin Drilon received 17 votes, sealing his fate as the Senate President. His rival and former senate president Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile got 6 votes. Not long before the end of the 15th Congress, then Senate President Enrile tendered his resignation from his post.

Franklin Drilon was also named as Senate President from 2001 to 2006. He is currently serving his third term as a senator. He was also the campaign manager of the Liberal Party in the May 2013 elections. He is also serving as a senior legal counsel for a private law office, ACCRA Law Offices.

Re-elected House Speaker Sonny Belmonte. File photo from Inquirer.net

Meanwhile, another Liberal Party member is going to head the House of Representatives. Congressman Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., Liberal Party’s vice chairman, was re-elected as Speaker of the House.

Before serving as house speaker, Sonny Belmonte Jr. served as the Mayor of Quezon City from 2001 to 2010. As a Congressman, he also championed several bills, like the General Appropriations Act, the Act Providing for a Dual System of Education, the Act Creating the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the Salary Standardization Law.