MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Alleged attempts to oust Senate President Chiz Escudero are circulating within the halls of the upper chamber, but the senator himself dismissed these as mere rumors.
鈥淒iyos ko, huwag na! Papatulan ko 鈥榶ung mga kwento niyong kalokohan?鈥� Escudero told reporters in an ambush interview on Monday when he was asked to comment on the alleged coup d鈥檈tat attempts against his leadership.
(My God, let鈥檚 not. Why would I entertain your nonsense stories?)
Although he refused to comment on the allegations, Escudero reiterated that officers of the Senate, including the Senate president, serve at the pleasure of the majority.
鈥淲hy will I comment on mere rumors from unknown sources? Suffice it to say [that] the entire Senate leadership serves at the pleasure of the majority,鈥� the Senate leader said in a separate Viber message.
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At the center of these coup rumors were Senators Loren Legarda and Cynthia Villar, both of whom denied their involvement in the alleged ouster plot.
鈥淣o idea, we are focused on our work,鈥� said Legarda in a text message to reporters when she was asked about the matter.
Villar, for her part, denied her involvement in the alleged attempt to oust Escudero. She even viewed Escudero鈥檚 performance as 鈥渙kay.鈥�
鈥淣o, I鈥檓 not involved,鈥� Villar told reporters.
Apart from Legarda and Villar, Sen. Bato dela Rosa also dismissed coup d鈥檈tat allegations against Escudero.
鈥淕inugulo niyo ang buhay namin dito. Tahimik ang buhay namin dito,鈥� said dela Rosa.
(You鈥檙e messing up our lives here. We live a peaceful life here.)
Furthermore, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel echoed his colleagues鈥� denials, saying there鈥檚 鈥渘o attempt鈥� to oust Escudero as far as he knows.
For his part, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, in a press conference early Monday morning, already denied speculations that he would replace Escudero as Senate president.
The chamber鈥檚 second top official, however, confirmed there was an attempt to oust Escudero about two or three weeks ago.
鈥淗indi ako. Hindi ako, narinig ko merong iba,鈥� said Estrada.
(It鈥檚 not me. It鈥檚 not me, there鈥檚 somebody else)
Despite this, Estrada denied that there was unrest in the upper chamber, noting that the majority of senators were in favor of Escudero鈥檚 leadership.
Escudero took his oath as the 25th Senate president of the Philippines in May after the ouster of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.
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