Majority senators share ‘intimate dinner’ with Pres. Duterte

Fifteen members of the Senate majority bloc shared an “intimate dinner” with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang Tuesday night, two weeks after the Senate went through a reorganization (PNA photo)

MANILA—Fifteen members of the Senate majority bloc shared an “intimate dinner” with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang Tuesday night, two weeks after the Senate went through a reorganization.

Sen. Joseph Vincente Ejercito shared a photo of their dinner on his social media accounts on Wednesday night noting that they met to discuss the proposed tax reform.

“Intimate dinner between President Duterte and my colleagues in the Senate. We discussed the proposed tax reform,” Ejercito said in his caption.

“The proposed tax reform measure was discussed with the President tonight,” he said later noting that ongoing investigations were not brought up.

Aside from Ejercito, also in the photo were Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Senate Pres. Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate and Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III.

Senators Manny Pacquiao, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Alan Peter Cayetano, Grace Poe, Miguel Zubiri, Sherwin Gatchalian, Dick Gordon, Nancy Binay, Loren Legarda and Juan Edgardo Angara.

The three other members of the Senate majority bloc that were not present were Senators Francis Escudero, Gringo Honasan and Panfilo Lacson.

Last February 27, senators belonging to the Liberal Party transferred from the majority bloc from the minority after they were ousted from key positions and chairmanships.

Pacquiao motioned to declare vacant a leadership post, Senate President Pro-Tempore and committee chairmanships on the Senate Committees on Health, Agriculture and Education.

Sen. Franklin Drilon was ousted as Senate President Pro-Tempore while Senators Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV were ousted as chairs of the Health, Agriculture and Education committees.