00:00More Senators have expressed support for current Senate President Francis G. Escudero to remain in his position, as our Daniel Manalastas reports.
00:10Another Senator floated supporting Senate President G. Escudero to remain as Senate President in the 20th Congress, Senator J. V. Ejercito.
00:20And if numbers that floated yesterday was 13 or more, today, according to the Senator,
00:26Definitely more than 13, baka 15 or 16.
00:29Hindi ko naman pwedeng iwanan din. Basta-basta. And siguro out of courtesy, respect, deligadesa, binigyan ako ng trust and confidence ni Senator Escudero.
00:40Ejercito believes Escudero also has the support of the so-called Duterte block, composed of Senators supporting or allied with the Duterte family, and also possibly siblings in the Senate.
00:52But what will happen now with the sitmates block, in which Ejercito was part of along with Sen. Mig Zubiri, who is now with a group of Sen. Tito Soto?
01:03Maaring magkaiba kami ng position ngayon, but I think the respect and our friendship will always be there.
01:11Naintindihan ko naman, understandable, kasi magkaiba kami ng position ngayon.
01:15Sen. Tito Soto meanwhile addressed those saying he is too strict, saying he is guilty as charged.
01:30And if that disqualifies him from the Senate leadership, Soto couldn't care less about it.
01:36Zubiri meanwhile confirmed, Sen. Lito Lapid intends to join their group.
01:41However, they will not push Lapid to join the minority block in case.
01:45So kung hindi man analo si Tito Soto, we told him it's okay for him to join the majority.
01:51Ayaw naman namin siyang piniti.
01:53Yun nga, in terms of minority-majority, baka apat nga alamang kami na, unless also Sen. Lito wants to join us.
02:00Sen. President Jesus Escudero has yet to comment on the Senate leadership.
02:05But he released a press statement of the accomplishments in the past Congress, which all point to a productive Senate.
02:13Daniel Manastas from The National TV for a new and better Philippines.
