Lacson says Villar's ouster started from C-5 controversy
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/17/2008 7:10 PM
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Senator Panfilo Lacson, who endorsed Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to replace Senate President Manny Villar, said the change in leadership was inevitable after they got 13 senators supporting a resolution that would declare all seats vacant.
“It was a collective effort of several senators to get the numbers to change the leader. Initially there were nine [senators], I think. The magic number 13 came at noon today,” he said in an interview over ANC Monday.
He, however, declined to name the senators who supported the change in leadership.
A separate report said that among those who abstained in the vote for leadership change were Senators Aquilino Pimentel, Joker Arroyo, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
Among those who supported Villar’s “ouster” were Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Edgardo Angara.
Lacson said change in leadership was sparked by the controversy involving the alleged double insertion in the budget of the C-5 extension project, which was authored by Villar.
“After the C-5 controversy broke out, it was just a matter of time that the inevitable would happen, and it happened this afternoon,” said Lacson, who called for the investigation of the reported double insertion.
The opposition senator also denied that Malacañang was involved in the leadership change.
“Absolutely, Malacañang had no hand in the change of leadership in the Senate, that’s one thing I’m sure about,” he said.
