Former Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III cautioned the new Senate majority bloc against holding hearings under the reconstituted Blue Ribbon Committee before its membership is officially constituted.
Pimentel noted that the former minority bloc, now the majority, had objected to a planned hearing by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s sub‑committee on grounds that nominees were incomplete.
“Yung para bukas, ang objection nga ng dating minority, ng grupo ni Sen. Sotto, hindi pa fully constitute. Tama ‘yun dahil wala pang nominees ‘yung minority noon,” he said on One PH’s Sa Totoo Lang.
He argued the same principle applies to the scheduled hearing on Monday. “Hindi ba ‘yung argumento na ‘yun, applicable din sa hearing sa Lunes? Wala pang nominees ‘yung minority sa bagong Blue Ribbon Committee? Huwag din ituloy ‘yung Lunes. Dapat ganoon,” Pimentel stressed.
The former senator added that the adjournment of the chamber requires waiting for minority nominees to committees, echoing the position once held by Sen. Tito Sotto’s group when they were in the minority.
“Eh di gawin niyo rin sa sarili niyo ngayon yan… Pero huwag nilang i‑solve lahat tapos pati sila na hindi sumusunod sa Senate rules,” Pimentel said. # (ZIA LUNA)
