00:00Well, one could say Senator Vicente Soto's return to the upper chamber has come full circle
00:05with his recent designation by his peers to the coveted leadership post.
00:10Strangely enough, it was the predecessor of his predecessor
00:13who initiated and nominated him for a return to the Senate presidency,
00:18as our Daniel Manalastas reports.
00:22Move to declare the position of the Senate president as vacant, Mr. President.
00:27Is there any objection?
00:30Hearing none, the motion is approved.
00:33In light of the controversy in flood control projects,
00:36a leadership change occurred when Senator Ito Soto reclaimed the Senate presidency,
00:42replacing Senator Francis Escudero.
00:44At the start of the session, it was Escudero who led the session.
00:49But Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri made the manifestation that pushes Soto to be the Senate president.
00:55Soto even took oath before Escudero.
00:58That I will support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines.
01:03That I will obey the laws.
01:05That I will obey the laws.
01:06Legal orders.
01:07Legal orders.
01:08So help me God.
01:09So help me God.
01:10Most importantly, he was a traditionalist in the very best sense of the word,
01:16consistently upholding the rules and traditions that protected the integrity of the Senate
01:21as the nation's last bastion of democracy.
01:24With Senator Soto as Senate president, the Senate is in good hands.
01:29In his acceptance speech, Soto said that the Filipino people are enraged of the corruption,
01:36particularly the failed flood control projects that is expected to protect lives.
01:42And he assured that he will do his best to ensure that the Senate will remain cooperative,
01:48but independent, balanced, transparent, and sincere.
01:52Corruption is now perceived by our people to be in the whole of government.
01:57But with the political will of those in position, and together with the vigilance and clamor from the public,
02:06we can fight this and bring transparency and true accountability that our nation deserves.
02:14I am your listener, your advisor if you so desire, your enabler for anything within my power to do so.
02:24I am primos inter pares, or first among equals.
02:31For his part, Escudero maintained that he serves at the pleasure of his Senate colleagues.
02:37He also recalled some of his victories under his term.
02:40I hold no grudges, I hold no ill feelings.
02:44I am proud of what the Senate has accomplished together.
02:47And I trust that the spirit of transparency and courage that have been displayed by this chamber will be sustained.
02:54Meanwhile, some senators weigh in on what could have been the reason behind the leadership change.
03:01Siguro yung nasobrahan na yung siraan ng both houses eh, no?
03:06It has affected the institutions already.
03:08Apa naman, I think yung mga issues kay Senchis, kay Senjowel, that's part of the demolition job.
03:17But it's already affecting the Senate and we have to save the institution.
03:20I was surprised.
03:22It happens, wala tayong gagawa.
03:24They have the numbers.
03:25Kakapi ko naman lahat, hindi lang naman siya speeches.
03:28Wala naman naman kaaway dito.
03:30Wala naman permanente sa posisyon, di ba?
03:33Pagka dinos na ng mayorya.
03:36Yung isyo pa ng plan, wala naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman naman.
03:43But what will happen now to the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee chairmanship and the committee that leads the investigation in the Senate in the anomalous flood control projects?
03:55Pag-aasapan, uusapan naman naman.
03:57Tama-tama ba na lang si Sen. Daxon ng video?
04:00Really?
04:01A pinag-iisipan niyo?
04:02Daniel Malastas from The National TV for a new and better Philippines.
