Senate

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Joker Arroyo has retained his title of “Scrooge of Congress” or “Kuripot King” for the ninth straight year for being the thriftiest lawmaker, as reflected in the Commission on Audit (COA) expenses report for 2009.

2010 YEARENDER A new administration and a new set of legislators took the helm in 2010, raising hopes that the country would be able to leave the supposedly stained legacy of the immediate past leadership through reforms spelled out by President Benigno Aquino 3rd. Then President Gloria Arroyo, however, would not be denied her place…

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago made a last-minute bid on Monday to chair the powerful blue ribbon committee. But Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile decided to give the coveted committee to neophyte Senator Teofisto Guingona III, a member of President Aquino’s Liberal Party.

President Aquino’s Senate allies nailed down the more sought after committee leadership posts in the upper chamber in yesterday’s caucus on committee assignments with none going to members of the minority including Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate has assigned the chairs and members of all but one of the 37 committees, with President Aquino’s allies cornering most of the major committees.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago has warned that the conflict among the senators over committee chairmanship is making the Senate leadership unstable, a situation which could induce the disgruntled to attempt a coup.

In the first post-Martia Law congressional elections held in 1987, the senatorial candidates of the Cory Aquino administration almost swept the senatorial election.  Only two oppositionists, Joseph Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, won. Subsequently, Estrada shifted to the majority, leaving Enrile as the only member of the minority.

Senators have started getting committee chairmanships but many of them are grumbling that they are not getting a fair shake from the Senate leadership.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto 3rd on Tuesday said that the chairmen of almost 90 percent of the Senate permanent committees have been identified. The chairmanship of the finance committee, formerly held by Sen. Edgardo Angara, will go to Sen. Franklin Drilon. Angara will head the committees on science and technology and on education.