Press Release
December 26, 2008

Senate minority designates members to CA, SET

The Senate minority bloc has designated its members in the Commission on Appointments and the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) said the minority bloc will be represented in the 25-man CA by Senators Manuel Villar (Nacionalista Party), Joker Arroyo and Alan Peter Cayetano (NP).

Pimentel said that another minority member, Francis Pangilinan, will also sit in the CA to occupy one of the two seats for the Liberal Party.

In the nine-man SET, he said the minority will be represented by Sens. Pangilinan and Pia Cayetano.

Pimentel said the minority senators are still finalizing their assignments as chairmen and members of various standing committees.

The committees that were given to the minority senators include those on agrarian reform, tourism, social justice ad human rights, mass media and public information and cultural communities.

Pimentel said they have agreed during the caucus not to designate members to the committee on ethics privileges which Is looking into the charge of breach of the conflict of interest rule filed against Villar during his term as Senate president.

That is my understanding of the outcome of our initial discussion on the matter. But I will try to find out whether there will be any change in their position. As minority leader, I cannot just say one thing without consulting my members. I think when the session resumes by January, we will have a final stand, he said.

Pimentel clarified that the ethics committee is just one of the many committees where minority senators have yet to decide their membership.

He also voiced the hope that the Senate will approve the resolution amending the Senate rules to allow detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes to participate in Senate sessions and other activities through teleconference and other electronic gadget.

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