Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is confident that public sentiment is behind those who will pursue the truth and unveil the web of corruption in the billions of pesos worth of anomalous infrastructure projects in the government.
The senator was asked about the current leadership under Senate President Tito Sotto during ANC’s “Headstart” on Monday, September 22, as reports previously came out of a possible coup by the minority.
“Naniniwala ako now because of what’s happening—we are now focused on ferreting out the truth in our investigations in the hearings— I believe the people are behind us. The majority sentiment of the public is behind us and that’s the strongest source of support for the Senate majority at this time,” he added.
Pangilinan—who is now on his fourth term in the Senate—recalled that from 2001 to 2007, he was part of the Senate’s “majority of 13” with 11 members part of the minority.
“(But) we were able to keep the leadership stable,” he said.
The unveiling of the massive corruption involving billions of pesos worth of infrastructure projects has gripped the nation, resulting in the “Trillion Peso March” on Sunday, September 21, to protest government abuses and demand accountability, social justice, and transparency.
Pangilinan, who expressed support for “peaceful demonstrations,” urged the public to remain vigilant and to continue to voice out their frustrations as the Senate Blue Ribbon committee—of which he is a member—continues its investigation into the issue.