Lacson as next Senate president: “Count me out”

”Count me out. I’m not interested,” Lacson said. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan/Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA—Panfilo Lacson has been reportedly on the list of prospective Senate president of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte but the coming senator is not interested to take the offer.

”Count me out. I’m not interested,” Lacson, an independent candidate, said when asked by media for comment.

Lacson, one of the senators already in the Magic 12 of the recent senatorial election, said Senate presidency is a compromising position which “I won’t fit in.

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Senator Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara, who won in 2013 under the ticket of Team PNoy, said Senators Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel and Alan Peter Cayetano will play major roles in the coming Senate leadership.

”I’m quite sure Senators Koko and Alan will have major roles in the coming Senate since both are senior legislators and both have the trust and confidence of the president,” Angara said, referring to Duterte.

Pimentel is the president of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban sa Bayan (PDP-Laban), a political party that adopted Duterte as its standard-bearer in the last May 9 elections.

Angara said the LP would still play role in the Senate leadership considering six of its candidates are in the senatorial election’s Magic 12. They are Franklin Drilon, Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva, Risa Hontiveros, Ralph Recto and Leila de Lima.

Drilon, an incumbent Senate president, has said the Senate will work with Duterte in the next 17th Congress.

On the other hand, Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III refused to comment on the next Senate presidency.

”We are still weighing our options,” said Sotto, who ran as reelectionst under the ticket of independent presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe who already conceded to Duterte.

Aside from Sotto, other senatorial candidates under Poe’s lineup who are now in the top 12 include: Juan Miguel Zubiri, Richard Gorcon and Rex Gatchalian.

Poe and running mate Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero have still three years left in their term as senators.