Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751947489152Screenshot 2025-07-08 at 12.04.33 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Senate President Tito Sotto and current SP Sen. Chiz Escudero. Senate PRIB/File </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III on Tuesday said he had no problem being described by his colleagues as&quot; too strict,&quot; which was cited as a reason why he might not get the Senate Presidency in the 20th Congress.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/7/masyadong-strikto-why-other-senators-don-t-like-tito-sotto-to-lead-senate-1930">‘Masyadong strikto’: Why other senators don’t like Tito Sotto to lead Senate</a></div><p>&quot;Masyadong strikto? Guilty as charged. I was brought up by the true statesmen of the 8th and 9th Congress where decency and following rules and procedures abound. If that disqualifies me from the Senate leadership, then so be it,&quot; Sotto said.</p><p>Sotto was reacting to the remark of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who shared that some senators do not like the veteran politician as a Senate chief because he was &quot;too strict.&quot;</p><p>Zubiri said he and Sen. Loren Legard were backing Sotto&#x27;s bid.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;MOMENTUM&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who seeks to retain his post in the 20th Congress, meanwhile vowed to &quot;build on its legislative momentum&quot; as he cited their &quot;record gains&quot; from the 19th Congress.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/7/estrada-escudero-has-votes-to-keep-senate-presidency-1738">Estrada: Escudero has votes to keep Senate presidency; Marcoleta may get Blue Ribbon</a></div><p>“In the third regular session alone, we were able to surpass the combined output for the first and second regular sessions. We could have done even more if not for the close to four-month period that we were adjourned because of the mid-term elections,” the Senate chief said.</p><p>Several senators said Escudero so far had the numbers to keep his post, but also acknowledged that anything was possible until July 28, the opening of the new Congress. </p><div> </div><div><strong>HONTIVEROS AND ALLIES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Pangilinan explained that discussions with Sen. Risa Hontiveros regarding the alliances in the 20th Congress continue.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/2/zubiri-urges-colleagues-to-pick-new-senate-chief-even-if-escudero-has-the-numbers-2346">Zubiri urges colleagues to pick new Senate chief, even if Escudero has the numbers</a></div><p>This, after Zubiri claimed that there was a possibility that Hontiveros would be left alone as Pangilinan and Sen. Bam Aquino could supposedly join the majority.</p><p>&quot;Regarding the SP race, gaya ng nabanggit ko kahapon, we continue to be in discussions with Risa. In fact, nag-meeting ulit kaming dalawa kahapon at maaaring mag-meeting ulit kaming tatlo with Bam kaya abangan na lang sa 28,&quot; he said.</p><p>Aquino has yet to respond as of press time.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9hiYpoYDB1U?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Tuesday said he has no problem being described by his colleagues as" too strict."</p>

Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Tuesday said he has no problem being described by his colleagues as" too strict."

SP race: Tito Sotto admits being 'too strict'; Chiz vows to maintain 'productivity'

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SP race: Tito Sotto admits being 'too strict'; Chiz vows to maintain 'productivity'

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 08, 2025 12:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Senate Presidency

politics

Tito Sotto

Sotto

Risa Hontiveros

Kiko Pangilinan

Juan Miguel Zubiri

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