黑料社

MANILA,聽 Philippines 鈥� Newly installed Senate President Francis 鈥滳hiz鈥� Escudero has apologized for any 鈥渨ounds鈥� that the chamber鈥檚 leadership change may have caused.

Escudero took the Senate helm on Monday, shortly after Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri vacated the post.

Speaking to reporters after the session, the new Senate chief explained that any leadership change in the Senate always depends on the confidence of the majority of its members.

He was mum on how the change in leadership was orchestrated.

鈥淯litin ko, sa dulo kung sino ang may kumpiyansa ng labing tatlo hindi na para sa akin na i-kwento yung proseso sa puntong ito dahil gusto na naming umabante mula dito at hindi pa para pag-usapan, diskusyunan, debatihan, at buhusan pa ika nga ng asin,鈥� Escudero sai

(In the end, it is whoever has the confidence of 13. It鈥檚 not for me聽 to recount the process at this point because we want聽 to move forward from here and not聽 discuss, debate or put salt into the wounds)

鈥淎numang sugat na nilikha nito, na ako鈥檡 humihingi ng paumanhin na maaaring nailikha nito o may nasaktan kaugnay nito. Kaya ayaw kong magkomentaryo kaugnay sa bagay na 鈥榶an,鈥澛� he added.

(I apologize for whatever wounds it may have caused or if it has offended anyone. That鈥檚 why I no longer want聽 to comment on this issue)

While Escudero鈥檚 election was unanimously approved on the Senate floor, Zubiri later indicated in a press briefing that 14 of 24 senators supported his successor.

Zubiri counted only seven allies and they are Senators Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Sonny Angara,聽 Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� Dela Rosa.

The remaining two 鈥� Senate Minority Leader Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel and Senator Risa聽 Hontiveros鈥� are in the opposition bloc.

Escudero assured the public that no one, not even the highest official of the land, could influence his leadership in the Senate.

He said this was proof of his close friendship with the late President Benigno Aquino III.

鈥淢alapit ako kay Pangulong Noynoy Aquino. Hindi kami nagkasundo sa maraming bagay dahil alam niyang may trabaho ako bilang senador noong panahong iyon. Nagtatrabaho din siya bilang Pangulo,鈥� he said.

(I was close with President Noynoy Aquino. We disagreed on many things because I had a job to do as a senator during that time. He was also working as president.

鈥淎t sa tingin ko ay may proweba at ika nga may pwede na akong pakita at patunayan na kahit siya na ang pinakamalapit kong kaibigan, hindi niya ako naimpluwensyahan sa mga pasya ko noong panahong iyon at nandito kayo bilang saksi n鈥檕n鈥� Escudero聽 further said.

(And I think I have proof that even if he was my closest friend, he did not influence my decisions during that time, and you were there to witness it.)