Senator regrets hurting �meganiece� over Senate presidency

MANILA, Philippines � Senator Vicente "Tito'' Sotto III said on Friday he was sorry to hear that his niece, singer and movie actress Sharon Cuneta was hurting over his decision not to support her husband, Senator Francis Pangilinan, in his bid for the Senate presidency.

"I am sorry if Sharon is hurting but the Senate presidency transcends family ties. The Senate should remain independent and should not be pressured even with family concerns,'' Sotto said in a press statement he issued in the wake of Cuneta's statements on television that she was hurt that her own uncle was not supporting her husband in the Senate.

Cuneta made the statement after administration allies and partymates of Pangilinan decided to junk him as the administration candidate for Senate president and were now pushing for the retention of Juan Ponce Enrile as Senate president.

Pangilinan and his main rival, Nacionalista Party president Senator Manuel Villar Jr., have been unable to muster the minimum 13 votes needed to get elected Senate president, triggering fears that the top Senate would be left vacant when Congress opens its sessions on Monday.

"I hope that in due time she would understand my decision. Whatever my decision will be will not change my feelings toward her,'' Sotto said of Cuneta.

Sotto last week said he could not support Pangilinan because he belonged to the administration's Liberal Party, which did not support him when he ran for senator last May.

Aside from his party, the Nationalist People's Coalition of tycoon Eduardo "Danding'' Cojuangco, Sotto was also supported by the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino of Senator Edgardo Angara.

Angara is counting Sotto as part of his bloc in the Senate. Sotto had said he and good friend Senator Gregorio Honasan have agreed to support a common candidate in the Senate presidency race.

Honasan stated that he would support Enrile if the he ran for the top Senate post.

Enrile declared the other day that he was willing to be Senate president again if the interested parties were unable to muster the required 13 votes.

Meanwhile, Senator Jose �Jinggoy� Estrada, who had backed Pangilinan for Senate president, said on Friday he was now also for Enrile.

Estrada said Cuneta had texted him Friday morning to say she and Pangilinan would be "forever grateful'' to him even if he was now supporting Enrile.

"You tell Kiko that you will support him unless JPE runs,'' Cuneta said in Filipino, in her text message to Estrada.

"Thank you, whatever happens,'' Cuneta added.

Estrada said that Cuneta understood the situation. He pointed out that when he signed the resolution supporting Pangilinan's bid for the Senate presidency, it was on the condition that Enrile would not go for it himself.

Source: Inquirer