TRICKY Tsis is about to meet a serious challenge of the Senate leadership in Tito Sotto. Sotto’s candidacy for the Senate top plum is not a flash in the pan, as two “older” (or mature) senators have expressed open support for him: Ping Lacson and Migz Zubiri. Tricky Tsis has the support of senators, who could be regarded as political lightweights, or disdainfully the dishrags (or “trapos”) of Philippine politics like Alan Peter Cayetano, Joel Villanueva, Robin Padilla, Bato dela Rosa, and Imee Marcos.
Joel Villanueva claimed that at least 13 senators have pledged support for Tricky Tsis. But knowing the dynamics in the Senate, Villanueva’s claim should never be taken as gospel truth. It is not something that is written on stone, as political statements by senators usually change even on a daily basis.
In short, some senators could change their mind depending on which way the wind blows. While the Senate is regarded as a venue for many ideas, political opportunism is also its hallmark. The rule is simple: don’t completely trust a senator.
The 20th Congress will convene on June 28 and BBM will deliver his SONA. Members of the two chambers of Congress will elect their leaders. There is no question or denying that the House of Representatives will re-elect Martin Romualdez as the Speaker. He has no serious opponent except a minor lawmaker with a forgettable name and face.
The Senate faces some serious questions on its leadership, as Tricky Tsis will be challenged by Tito Sotto, who wants to return to his old post. Tito Sotto was the Senate President during Gongdi’s tenure. He was not identified as Gongdi’s sycophant unlike Alan Peter Cayetano, who openly praised Gongdi like god for his bloody but ill-fated war on drugs.
Tito Sotto was openly remembered for giving some sort of protection to Sonny Trillanes, when Gongdi revoked his amnesty papers, which were stolen by Gongdi’s minions from the Department of national Defense record section. Tito Sotto did not allow the arrest of Sonny Trillanes in the Senate premises, allowing the intrepid lawmaker to question Gongdi’s questionable move before the court.
Sonny Trillanes later won and was vindicated. Gongdi and his minions could only eat their pride. Gongdi is now in the prison facility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, awaiting a possible trial there. He faces crimes against humanity charges for his bloody but ill fated war on drugs.
Tricky Tsis wants to retain the Senate leadership mainly to protect Misfit Sara. Judging his recent statements, Tricky Tsis does not want any open, free, and fair trial for Misfit Sara, who faces serious allegations of plunder of P612 million of confidential funds as the vice president and Deped secretary and betrayal of public trust, among others.
Tricky Tsis has openly floated the contemptuous idea of immediate dismissal on the basis of a majority vote of senators of the Articles of Impeachment lodged by the House of Representatives since Feb 5. Tricky Tsis sat on the Articles for four month and did nothing to protect the Misfit.
Constitutional law experts openly condemned Tricky Tsis’s views as largely untenable that violate the 1987 Constitution. Tricky Tsis is not highly regarded in the legal community because he had very limited law practice.
Migz Zubiri has opposed Tricky Tsis mainly because of his “dictatorial” tendencies in leading the Senate and openly expressed his support for Sotto, who has pledged to maintain transparency and accountability if his colleagues decide to give back to him the Senate leadership.
Migz Zubiri did not openly say what is to be expected of Sotto’s return to the Senate leadership, but it could be deduced it would be the end of Tricky Tsis’s perverse interpretation of the Constitution.
Moreover, Misfit Sara will undergo the anticipated trial by the Senate impeachment court. While the decision of the impending trial will depend on the nature of the evidence to be presented before the Senate impeachment trial, it could be said an open, free, and fair trial could be expected.
For sure, Tricky Tsis and his faction, who openly want the immediate dismissal of Misfit Sara’s case, would be marginalized. They will be sidelined.
