President's allies capture Congress leadership

Allies of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo captured the leadership of Congress yesterday. Pro-administration Senator Franklin Drilon was elected president of the Senate, the upper house of the bicameral Congress and Jose de Venecia, party-mate of the president, was elected House Speaker.

This gave the administration control and support in the legislative branch.

Drilon won by only two votes in the 24-member Senate, beating former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who belongs to an opposition coalition that includes Sen. Loi Ejercito, wife of Arroyo's ousted predecessor Joseph Estrada. Thirteen senators voted for Drilon while 11 voted for opposition.

In a power-sharing agreement, Drilon and Senator Rene Cayetano will take the seat each for the first half of Arroyo's three-year term.

Outgoing Senate president Pimentel described Drilon and Cayetano's term-sharing agreement as a "buy one-take two promo" of department stores, but added it was a "practical thing to do in an impasse between two legitimate ambitions."

The opposition accused Arroyo of intervening to influence the election of Drilon to the Senate presidency.

Drilon, who placed fourth in the last May polls garnered six votes from Lakas senators Loren Legarda, Juan Flavier, Ramon Magsaysay Jr, Robert Barbers, Renato Cayetano and Ramon Revilla. He also got four votes from the administration newcomerís bloc: Senators Joker Arroyo, Manuel Villar, Ralph Recto, and Francis Pangilinan.

Senators John Osmena and Noli de Castro, of the opposition, cast their votes for Drilon.

Those who voted for Pimentel belong to the opposition, Senators Edgardo Angara, Rodolfo Biazon, Teresa Aquino-Oreta, Blas Ople, Vicente Sotto III, Luisa Ejercito Estrada, Gregorio Honasan and Panfilo Lacson.

Independent Senator Sergio Osmea, supposed to be an Arroyo ally, voted for Pimentel after failing to get the chairmanship of the finance committee. "The President trusts the Senate's choice. No one can question Drilon's track record for being independent," Presidential spokesperson Rigoberto Tiglao said.

Meanwhile, De Venecia won overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives with 184 votes to the opposition candidate's 17. De Venecia gained vital support from the Nationalist People's Coalition, an opposition party led by businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., who has been closely associated with Estrada.