Senator Francis Tolentino, the new majority leader, said that Malacanang had no hand in the leadership change in the upper chamber.

On Monday Senator Francis Escudero replaced Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri as Senate President.

“No one from Malacanang talked to me. And they shouldn’t get involved because the Senate is an equal branch (of government),” Tolentino said in an interview with dzBB.

“This event really comes from the majority. So the details of that and what caused it was finished yesterday…maybe this is just part of our democracy. Anything can happen and anything will rely on the will of the majority,” he added.

Tolentino stressed that he did not sign the resolution backing Escudero’s leadership out of ill will.

“For me, I was considering the decision of the majority. I would want to align myself always with the majority,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino said they will try to fill the vacant posts in the Senate panels.

He added that Escudero instructed them to prioritize a bill that seeks to amend the procurement law. Jaspearl Tan/DMS