Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada is facing what could be his shortest role in his political career as acting Senate President in two lame-duck sessions in the 15th Congress.
Outgoing Sen. Joker Arroyo didn鈥檛 miss a beat in reminding Estrada, a movie actor before he turned politician, of what could certainly be just a cameo.
鈥淢r. President, are you happy?鈥� Arroyo asked Estrada after the Senate, following manifestations of Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Franklin Drilon, installed Estrada as the acting head of the chamber upon the resignation of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Estrada will serve as acting Senate President until the chamber elects a new leader鈥攕omething that is expected to happen on the first day of the 16th Congress on July 22.
鈥淚 could sense that while [Enrile] grieved, you couldn鈥檛 control your happiness. While the majority leader also grieved, of the top three in the Senate, it was only the Senate president pro tempore who is happy,鈥� Arroyo said as colleagues laughed.
Apparently sensing that Arroyo was drawing laughter not only from the floor but even at the gallery at his expense, Estrada said that he was willing to have an election for a new Senate President right there and then.
Arroyo, however, was far from finished. He asked Estrada what his half-brother, Senator-elect San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, would have to say.
Estrada and Ejercito are known to have had personal differences in the past.
鈥淲hat will Senator-elect JV Ejercito say about that?鈥� Arroyo said.
鈥淟et鈥檚 get his reaction on July 22,鈥� Estrada said with a sheepish smile.
鈥淒o you think he will ever be Senate President?鈥� Arroyo asked Estrada of his brother.
Drilon, the presumptive next Senate President, joined the fray.
鈥淒id you talk to JV Ejercito? How did your conversation go?鈥� Drilon asked Arroyo, who is ending a second Senate term.
鈥淚 said Jinggoy is already Senate President. [JV] said, 鈥楨h ano [So what]?鈥� Arroyo said to end his irreverent grilling of the acting Senate leader.
The exchange happened after the mood turned dramatic and suspenseful when Enrile irrevocably resigned following an emotional privilege speech, where he blasted his critics in the chamber.
The senators retreated to a caucus to discuss how to address the leadership vacuum.
Sen. Sergio Osme帽a III told reporters before the caucus that Sotto, citing Senate rules, wanted Estrada as Senate President Pro Tempore to take over the presiding duties.
Osme帽a, however, said there were other senators who wanted to elect a new Senate President with Drilon apparently being the choice.
Asked before the caucus if electing a Senate President was possible, Drilon told reporters that 鈥渁nything was possible.鈥�
During Enrile鈥檚 resignation speech, Drilon was teased by colleagues that his Senate presidency was coming sooner than expected.
The senators, however, returned from the caucus agreeing on Estrada taking over temporarily.
Both Estrada and Sotto, Enrile鈥檚 allies, expressed sadness over Enrile鈥檚 resignation.
鈥淥f course, being an ally, being my mentor, he鈥檚 like a father to me, I was also hurt,鈥� Estrada told reporters.