Political pundits known as it “payback time” when the Senate committee chairmanships for the twentieth Congress have been introduced on Tuesday, July 29. The management lineup confirmed that those that supported Senate President Chiz Escudero’s continued management have been amply rewarded.
It was no shock that the 19-member supermajority bloc received first dibs on the committees. What was extra revealing, nevertheless, was how the so-called “Duterte bloc” secured key committees — positions that might make life troublesome for the Marcos administration.
Past Escudero’s dealing with of the impeachment trial, highly effective committees have been handed to Duterte-allied senators — more likely to safe their help. These embrace Rodante Marcoleta, Robin Padilla, Bato dela Rosa, Bong Go, Imee Marcos, and siblings Mark and Camille Villar. (READ: Chiz Escudero and his dilly-dallying over impeachment)
Marcoleta’s Blue ribbon
Neophyte Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who turned 72 on Tuesday, doubtless obtained his finest birthday reward but: the chairmanship of the highly effective blue ribbon committee, the Senate panel chargeable for high-profile investigations.
After profitable the election, Marcoleta was vocal about his curiosity in chairing the blue ribbon committee. A month earlier than the twentieth Congress opened, Escudero and Senate President Professional Tempore Jinggoy Estrada met with Marcoleta over lunch on June 24. Whereas the assembly was formally described as an informal catch-up, its timing raised not a couple of eyebrows.
Marcoleta, a member of the influential spiritual group Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), was appointed to steer the committee over different veteran senators aware of the workings of the Senate. The INC is a robust ally of the Duterte household, having opposed the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and supported Vice President Sara Duterte amid the political challenges she was going through. He was additionally a key determine who pushed for the shutdown of ABS-CBN as a result of its essential protection of the Duterte administration.
With the impeachment trial of the Vice President halted, Escudero stated on Tuesday, July 29, that there are different venues via which the general public can search accountability from her.
“Impeachment isn’t the one mode of accountability for public officers. There are Senate investigations, congressional inquiries, and instances filed earlier than the Ombudsman. All of those are avenues via which accountability might be pursued,” Escudero stated in Filipino, in response to criticisms that the Supreme Court docket ruling deprives the general public of a way to carry authorities officers accountable.
Marcoleta’s seventh-place end within the 2025 senatorial race — largely attributed to INC’s bloc voting and the Vice President’s endorsement — stunned many. With Marcoleta now on the helm of the Senate blue ribbon committee, questions come up about whether or not the general public can anticipate a good investigation when it entails the Dutertes.
One factor can also be clear: beneath Marcoleta’s blue ribbon management, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration should tread fastidiously. Any misstep may face intense scrutiny from the committee.
Marcoleta was additionally given the chairmanship of the committee on commerce, commerce, and entrepreneurship.
Padilla’s committees
Regardless of missing a background in regulation or the Structure, Padilla was elected chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes. He’s a vocal advocate for transitioning to a federal type of authorities, a key initiative of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Padilla additionally chairs the committees on public data and mass media, together with cultural communities and Muslim affairs.
Within the earlier Congress, Padilla confronted heavy criticism for his lack of decorum within the Senate, together with the extensively criticized incident of combing his mustache throughout official hearings.
Go’s well being committee and extra
Senate topnotcher within the 2025 race, Go, a former shut aide of former president Duterte — secured three committees: well being, youth, and sports activities.
Well being stays a high concern for Filipinos, significantly the excessive value of hospitalization. Based on a Pulse Asia survey launched in July, 64% of Filipino adults recognized staying wholesome as their most pressing private concern. Whereas this stays the main subject, the determine is barely decrease than the 71% reported in 2024.
In 2019, through the Duterte administration, Go’s pet invoice — the Malasakit Middle Act — was signed into regulation. The regulation orders Malasakit Facilities to be established in each authorities hospital.
A Malasakit Middle is an space in a hospital the place impoverished sufferers can go to hunt monetary help for medical wants from PhilHealth, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Workplace, and the Division of Social Welfare and Growth.
Go’s Malasakit Facilities had helped him safe an amazing Senate victory within the 2025 elections.
Dela Rosa’s public order committee
Dela Rosa was additionally reelected as chairman of the general public order and harmful medicine committee.
In 2024, he used his committee to launch an investigation into the President’s alleged use of unlawful medicine. He went on with the investigation, regardless of testimonies suggesting that each one the proof offered was “fabricated.”
Due to his insistence on conducting a probe, then-Senate president Migz Zubiri was ousted, and was changed by Escudero. Zubiri had warned Dela Rosa to cease utilizing Senate hearings for political persecution.
With Dela Rosa main the committee, incidents like this may nonetheless happen — particularly because the Marcos administration continues to cooperate with the Worldwide Prison Court docket (ICC) in its investigation into the Duterte administration’s drug warfare abuses. Dela Rosa, who served as police chief throughout that interval, was extensively seen because the enforcer of the controversial marketing campaign.
Imee Marcos’ international relations panel
Presidential sister Imee, who has clearly aligned herself with the Dutertes, as soon as once more secured the chairmanship of the Senate committee on international relations. It may be recalled that within the lead as much as the elections in March, she launched a probe into the ICC arrest of former president Duterte.
Duterte supporters, each on-line and offline, labeled the previous president’s arrest as “kidnapping,” portraying the Davao strongman as a “sufferer.” The senator amplified these claims, contradicting her personal brother’s coverage.
She was additionally given chairmanships of the committees on labor and cooperatives.
Villar siblings
And naturally, Senators Mark and Camille Villar have been additionally given highly effective committees.
Camille, who was simply elected in Might, inherited the atmosphere committee from her term-limited mom, former senator Cynthia Villar.
Throughout Cynthia’s Senate time period from 2016 to 2022, the Home repeatedly handed a counterpart pro-land use invoice, however the Senate atmosphere committee she chaired persistently stalled its progress. Moreover, in Might 2023, Camille — then serving within the Home — was current however selected to not solid a vote on the measure.
The Villar household’s deep involvement in each politics and actual property has lengthy drawn criticism over potential conflicts of curiosity.
In the meantime, Mark, was given the committee chairmanship of public works. The Villars have been beneath scrutiny as PrimeWater, their family-owned agency, is being investigated by the Native Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), upon orders of the President, owing to complaints about poor water service.
On July 4, throughout a Malacañang press briefing, LWUA additionally introduced a probe right into a doable battle of curiosity involving the Division of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) through the senator’s tenure as secretary. From 2016 to 2021, whereas he headed DPWH, LWUA had entered into practically 100 three way partnership agreements with PrimeWater. LWUA has been hooked up to the DPWH since 2011.
Given the alignment between the Villars’ enterprise pursuits and their Senate committee chairmanships, can the general public fairly anticipate impartiality from them?
Political analyst and Rappler columnist John Nery stated the “Duterte bloc” within the Senate majority may grow to be an obstructionist drive throughout the majority. He added that with out the seven senators from this bloc in Escudero’s 19-member supermajority, Escudero would battle to safe majority choices on laws and different issues within the higher chamber.
“The Duterte 7 may have an inordinate influence on the laws or the actions of the Senate that must do with Vice President Sara Duterte or former president Rodrigo Duterte. Kumbaga mahihirapan, parang andoon yon eh, as a part of the voting bloc ni Chiz. So, in that sense, natanggalan ng poder si Marcos (It’s like it might be troublesome as a result of that bloc is a part of Chiz’s voting bloc. So, in that sense, Marcos was disadvantaged of energy),” Nery defined.
Historically, the President depends on the Senate management to advance his precedence laws. Nevertheless, with the political lodging prolonged by Escudero, it appears the President is shedding his grip on the Senate within the twentieth Congress. – Rappler.com
