Senator Imee Marcos resists being blamed for attempt to unseat Senate President

Senator Imee Marcos denied the claim that her removal as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee allegedly triggered the move to replace the Senate leadership. Marcos said this after Senate President (SP) Vicente "Tito" Sotto III stated in an interview that her removal from the Senate panel triggered the foiled coup to unseat him.

 The majority bloc was able to thwart the attempt to unseat Sotto. However, Marcos said, "With due respect to SP Sotto, the Foreign Relations Committee had nothing to do with whatever it is that he thinks is going on in the Senate."

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Senator Erwin Tulfo has been elected as the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, replacing Marcos.

During the plenary session on February 9, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri moved for Tulfo’s election, which Sotto approved after no objections were raised.

Sotto said the move to elect a new chairperson for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations had nothing to do with Marcos' refusal to sign the Senate resolution condemning the Chinese Embassy's remarks against certain Philippine officials including Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard.

Tarriela was in a "word war" with a Chinese Embassy official on matters related to the situation in the West Philippine Sea.

Fifteen senators signed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 256 including Sotto, which was introduced by Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Erwin Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Raffy Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Camille Villar, Mark Villar, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and Manuel “Lito” Lapid.

The resolution affirms the sovereign right and duty of Philippine officials to speak on matters of national interest in the performance of their official functions.

Up to now, the Senate has not yet adopted the resolution.

Marcos noted, "The resolution defending Tarriela was not even referred to the Foreign Relations Committee."

-Paraluman News