Photo courtesy of Senator Win Gatchalian/Facebook.
PDP-Laban is recognizing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate president after he secured the support of 13 senators, Senator Robin Padilla said Thursday.
Padilla, a former president of the party, made the statement in a social media post following Wednesday’s leadership change in the chamber.
Gatchalian was elected Senate president during the special session after his bloc reached the 13 votes needed for the top Senate post.
Padilla said PDP-Laban accepted Gatchalian’s election because it was backed by the required number of senators under the Constitution.
He also denied claims that his actions during the Senate leadership dispute were driven by personal interests.
Padilla said his position throughout the leadership controversy followed the stand of PDP-Laban.
He maintained that from the 19th Congress until the latest leadership change, he did not interfere in the choice of Senate president.
Padilla said allegations of personal bias were false, adding that his vote and political actions were aligned with the advocacies of PDP-Laban.