Senator Loren Legarda. Photo courtesy of Loren Legarda/Facebook.
Senator Loren Legarda on Thursday denied knowledge of any arrangement to make her the next Senate president, saying she had not been informed of term-sharing plans with Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Legarda, who has been rumored as a potential successor to Sotto, repeatedly declined to comment when asked in a brief ambush interview if she had been offered the post.
“I have no idea. I did not hear it yet,” she said, adding that any discussions about the role had not taken place.
When asked whether she might be offered the position before her term ends in 2028, Legarda said, “We have not discussed it yet, and don’t worry, I will raise your question with him.”
Sotto had earlier confirmed that he and his allies blocked an attempt to unseat him, and disclosed plans to eventually elect Legarda as the first woman Senate president after the 2027 budget session.
The Senate leader clarified that a future election of Legarda does not necessarily imply an equal term, noting that any transition would not involve sharing office time equally.
During the interview, Legarda avoided several questions, at one point setting playful conditions before responding, and later giving only a closed-lip smile when asked about the unity of the majority bloc.
On February 4, members of the minority bloc, including Senators Imee Marcos and Jinggoy Estrada, were seen leaving Legarda’s office. She declined to discuss the purpose of the meeting, instead emphasizing her focus on culture and arts legislation.