NOTHING is ever permanent in politics and this is why members of the Senate minority bloc didn’t see it as an act of betrayal when Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero recently joined the leadership by becoming chairman of the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs.
Sens. Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, and David M. Cing, D-Tinian, Guerrero’s former allies in the minority bloc were glad that the Senate leadership “recognized his capability.”
For Reyes, what he doesn’t want is for Guerrero to acquire “the bandwagon mentality” of the leadership which he accused of being unfair and abusive.
“I give (Guerrero) the benefit of the doubt. Our major concern is the biased attitude of the leadership toward the minority bloc. I hope that by being a part of the majority, he would still extend his hand to the minority, as he shared our frustration over the leadership,” said Reyes.
Cing said there was nothing to worry about Guerrero’s decision.
“I congratulate the guy. I know that he is fair,” he said.
The senator said the leadership can even invite Reyes to join them and he “would not care.”
“Even if all of them are already in the leadership and I’m the only one on the minority, I will not back down. I have no intention of rejoining the leadership,” said Cing, the former Senate vice president and chairman of the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation.
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, said the leadership was “very grateful” to have Guerrero. “The cooperation he showed in passing vital legislation is proof that if we put all our energies and efforts together, we can move productively. This is a positive direction for the Senate. We hate to think of members as majority or minority—what we want to do is to get everyone to work on key measures for the sake of the CNMI’s future,” he said.
