Senator Francis Tolentino on Tuesday stepped down as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to ulfill his promise of overseeing the committee in a short period.

“In fulfillment of a sacred commitment to serve as Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman and Member of the Commission on Appointments for a concise term of one and a half years, I find it both a duty and an honor to uphold the essence of a prior agreement. This decision is rooted in a deep-seated belief that the public office demands fidelity to the pledges made,” Tolentino said in a statement.

“It is my intention to honor an agreement,” he added.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri previously said in a radio interview that Tolentino informed him of his plan to resign as committee chair due to him becoming busy with his re-election bid in 2025.

He said that among the lawmakers who could possibly replace Tolentino are senators Pia Cayetano, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Francis Escudero. Jaspearl Tan