Senator-elect Chiz Escudero yesterday took they cudgels for actor-turned-politician-turned Sen. Robin Padilla for the latter’s desire to lead the Senate Committee on Constitutional Reforms and Revision of Codes and Laws.
Padilla was earlier advised by incoming Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and outgoing Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to study hard about the law.
Zubiri said Padilla cannot simplify complicated legal terminologies, particularly on revising laws and the Constitution, especially if Padilla had to debate with constitutionalists, or deans of the law of various colleges and universities.
Drilon, on the other hand noted that the post Padilla wants required legal knowledge” and the senator must have “exposure” on the Constitution.”
“Remember, it says Revision of Codes and Laws. This would refer to major laws like Civil Code, Revised Penal Code, all the codified laws and it’s not easy to do that,” Drilon said.
In defending the neophyte senator, Escudero said all senators are equal. “They have one vote each and get the same monthly salary.”
The come-backing senator asserted that a senator can chair any committee since there is no special qualification to chair a specific committee.
“It rests solely on the decision via election made by a majority of senators on the floor,” he said.
He also emphasized that no senator should be discriminated upon and should solely be judged by his/her performance after serving as such.
“Senator Parilla is as qualified as any senator elected to serve as such to chair any committee that the majority decides to elect him to,” Escudero pointed out.
Earlier, Padilla announced that former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo would be his legislative adviser.
The frontrunner in last May’s election noted that Panelo would be a huge help in his advocacy to push for a change in the 1987 Constitution. He has committed for a shift to federal system of government. Padilla asked Zubiri for the chairmanship of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments.
Zubiri told Padilla however, that there was no guarantee he would get what he wanted since the plenary still has to vote for him.