NA PARA BANG ISINIKSIK ANG LAHAT SA SEPTEMBER 🫠😮💨
• Sarah and Curlee Discaya name several lawmakers and 7 DPWH officials allegedly linked to flood control projects
• Chiz Escudero out; Tito Sotto back as the Senate president
• ICC postponed Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing
• Estrada, Villanueva linked to flood control kickback
• Sara Duterte spent P7.47 million for foreign trips
• Marcos creates independent probe body for infrastructure anomalies
• Black Friday protests
• Political activist Charlie Kirk shot dead in Utah campus
• Alex Eala wins first WTA crown in Guadalajara 125 Open
• Romualdez out; Bojie Dy elected as new House speaker
• WJ Construction owner visits Erwin Tulfo
• Julia Barretto and Gerald Anderson breakup
• Marcos orders return of P60 billion fund to PhilHealth
• September 21 mass protest
• #NandoPH #OpongPH hit the Philippines
• Bong Revilla, Chiz Escudero, Nancy Binay, Martin Romualdez tagged in flood control issue
• Sarah Discaya’s finger heart gesture goes viral
• Magalong resigns as ICI adviser, Azurin appointed
• Selena Gomez marries Benny Blanco
• Lacson: “Almost all” senators of 19th Congress have insertions
• Marcoleta’s wife alleged connection with Discayas
• Zaldy Co resigns as House member
• Chiz Escudero breaks silence, tags Martin Romualdez as “mastermind” of flood control kickbacks
HOW AND WHY SENATOR CHIZ WAS OUSTED AS SENATE PRESIDENT
Now it can be told.
Marcoleta and many DDS Senators were clueless about the ouster of Chiz Escudero.
They heard rumblings over the weekend but the minority led by Tito Sotto did not have the numbers yet.
Sotto only secured 13 or more votes today, around mid morning of September 8.
Note that Risa Hontiveros asked permission to leave from Marcoleta and left the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing around 9:30am.
She was called into an emergency caucus by the minority where it was revealed that they had secured the votes.
Sotto and the minority then told Chiz Escudero that they had the numbers to oust him.
In fairness to Chiz, he agreed to a smooth transition (that’s why wala na naging botohan during the ouster - no other candidate was nominated and no objection was raised).
While all of this was going on, Marcoleta was unaware. Todo sya mag tanong and mag chair ng Blue Ribbon NOT because he knew he would be replaced and ousted as well.
Todo lang sya mag tanong kasi bibo kid siya and clueless sa nangyayaring coup de tat sa labas ng Blue Ribbon hearing.
What were the factors that led to the ouster of Chiz? There are many factors but let me choose and spell out THREE MAJOR FACTORS.
1. Chiz’ connections to top flood control contractor Lawrence Lubiano tarnished the image of the Senate Presidency and the Senate.
The other Senators were finding it difficult to defend the reputation of the Senate if the leader himself was questionable.
Tapos may conflict of interest pa - how can you investigate a fellow Senator, much less a Senate President.
2. Aside from the legitimate issue of Chiz’ contractor connections, the other major sin he committed and continued committing was his insistence on not holding caucuses with the majority or Senators.
He said so himself way back when the Senate was convened as an impeachment court - he would prefer the debates out in the open.
But this was his demise.
Majority of Senators saw how not holding small caucuses between Senators would lead to the public seeing the clashing and confusing dynamics of Senators.
This was very evident when Joel Villanueva aka Boy Dila would make sulsol or bulong to Bato or Imee Marcos about what motion to raise or what to do.
If there were more frequent caucuse, pwede ma plantsa at mapag usapan lahat yan behind camera.
Another evidence of why no caucuses were bad?
Marcoleta as DDS Senator blindsided numerous Senators from what he was going to explode in today’s hearing - na may affidavit and revelations ang mga Discaya.
Something as big as that should be given FYI to other Senators - kahit hindi complete detail kahit sabihin lang oh sa Monday may pasabog mga Discaya.
This will empower other Senators to decide if they will attend the hearing or not and prepare in advance.
Pero wala, solo flight si Marcoleta at gusto nya sya lang bida.
The Senators who switched from Chiz to Sotto saw and compared how Sotto led the minority - they had consistent caucuses AT LEAST once a week.
This allowed the minority to be on the same page or disagree within themselves but iron out disagreements in a way where they can see where each other is coming from without all the emotions of spontaneously learning about it during a hearing.
This also allowed the minority to plan their moves as a group if they are all on the same page - tingnan nyo nung nag convene as impeachment court ang Senate, sobrang synchronized ng galaw and motions ng minority led by Sotto.
So ang layo - si Chiz may caucus lang once a year si Sotto may caucus once a week.
3. The third factor is not really about Chiz anymore but about Marcoleta.
Because the choice to make Marcoleta was mostly Chiz’ strategic calculus and trade off, how Marcoleta performed as Chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee factored in heavily in the decision to oust Chiz (so that they could also oust Marcoleta).
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