Adriano, Reyes trade barbs

Senate Floor Leader Joaquin G. Adriano has urged Senate President Paul A. Manglona to call for another election for the Senate Minority Leader, saying the present set-up is problematic since Sen. Pete P. Reyes is technically not a minority as he is from the Republican Party.

At the same time, he characterized Reyes complaints about being left out of the Senate Committee on Rules meetings as “childish” and prompted by envy due to his failure to get the Senate Floor Leadership position.

Reyes shot back at Adriano with the same accusation of childish behavior, saying he is getting tired of saying how shallow Adriano is.

“It seems he’s [Adriano] not tired of bragging how shallow he is. His childish and shallow behavior is becoming tiresome. He still doesn’t get it,” said Reyes.

The Senate Minority Leader said that Adriano’s interference in the minority bloc’s business is becoming irritating. “We don’t need his suggestions. They are neither solicited nor necessary. It is not important that he acknowledge or accept my election as minority leader. I urge him to limit his role to merely accepting my election.”

In a letter to the Senate President dated yesterday, Adriano said another election needs to take place to determine the Senate Minority Leader—an issue that he considers still pending despite the recent election of Reyes to the position.

“[Reyes] is claiming that he is the Minority Leader. I think he should go back and research his position because he is a Republican and Republicans control the 13th Senate right now. Therefore, he cannot claim that he is a Minority Leader,” Adriano said.

If the issue is not resolved soon, the Senate Floor Leader said the Rules Committee, which he chairs, would come out with changes to the Senate rules “that will provide for the determination of the Minority Leader under circumstances similar to the ones we are faced with today.”

The Senate is composed of four Republicans (Senators Manglona, Reyes, Ricardo S. Atalig and Thomas P. Villagomez); three Democrats (Senators Adriano, David M. Cing and Jose Dela Cruz); one Covenant (Sen. Diego M. Songao) and one American Reform (Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero).

However, the Senate leadership consists of three Republicans (Senators Manglona, Atalig and Villagomez), all three Democrats and the lone Covenant member.

With this set-up in mind, Adriano said any member not chairing a committee would then be eligible to serve as Minority Leader.

“This leaves Senators Guerrero and Reyes as the only Minority Leader candidates and also the only two members eligible to vote for this position,” he said.

Adriano pointed out that, however, that, although Villagomez had previously concurred to have Reyes serve as Senate Minority Leader, if he chooses to give up his Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Government and Law, then he would be eligible to vote or be a candidate for Minority Leader.

“However, as of this time he has not done so, therefore only Senators Guerrero and Reyes are eligible to vote on this position. Should you agree with the above reasoning, I believe another election needs to take place to determine the Senate Minority Leader,” he said.

In a letter to Adriano, however, Reyes told the Senate Floor Leader that he should not concern himself with Villagomez’s membership in the minority.

“If [Villagomez] wants to join the majority, he needs only write a letter to me but until he does that, Adriano has no business interfering in minority business. I would like to ask him [Adriano] to stop being childish. Basta bumanidoso [Stop showing off]. Stop this unnecessary nonsense and lets get to work,” he said.

Reyes further stressed that if Adriano cannot handle his being the Minority Leader, then the Senate Floor Leader should resign as Chair of the Rules Committee.

Adriano, however, dubbed Reyes’ claim as childish, saying that the senator should understand how the Rules Committee works, since he had chaired the committee in the 12th Legislature.