Sen. Robin Padilla Explains Viral Hand Sign during Singing of PH National Anthem
ROBIN PADILLA – The Senator asked why the Senate Sergeant-at-arms nor anyone from the chamber did not speak over the hand sign issue against him.
Amid the flood control mess in the Philippines, then-sitting Senate President Chiz Escudero was ousted and replaced by then-Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto. The revamp took place after Escudero and other senators’ names were dragged into the flood control issue.
Several senators who were part of the Majority bloc under Escudero’s term moved to the Minority bloc. The former Senate President himself is now part of the 9-member Senate Minority bloc.
Under the lead of Senate Pres. Tito Sotto, 15 senators are part of the Majority bloc. Sen. Risa Hontiveros who was the Deputy Minority Leader is now part of the Majority bloc in the chamber.
Here are the members of the Senate Majority and Minority blocs under the lead of Senate Pres. Tito Sotto:
Senate Majority bloc
- Sen. Tito Sotto
- Sen. Ping Lacson
- Sen. Miguel Zubiri
- Sen. Risa Hontiveros
- Sen. JV Ejercito
- Sen. Loren Legarda
- Sen. Bam Aquino
- Sen. Pia Cayetano
- Sen. Win Gatchalian
- Sen. Lito Lapid
- Sen. Kiko Pangilinan
- Sen. Erwin Tulfo
- Sen. Raffy Tulfo
- Sen. Camille Villar
- Sen. Mark Villar
Senate Minority bloc
- Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
- Sen. Rodante Marcoleta
- Senator Joel Villanueva
- Sen. Chiz Escudero
- Sen. Imee Marcos
- Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
- Sen. Robin Padilla
- Sen. Bato Dela Rosa
- Sen. Bong Go
Recently, during a plenary session, some members of the Minority bloc aired their sentiments to Senate Pres. Tito Sotto. One of them is Sen. Robin Padilla who raised the recent issue regarding the hand sign that he did during the singing of “Lupang Hinirang”.
During the session, Sen. Robin Padilla asked why the Senate sergeant-at-arms nor anyone from the chamber did not speak on the issue against him. Based on a post of News5, he stressed that the accusation against him was heavy.
“Ito po ay naging malaking isyu. Ako po ay nagtataka, Ginoong Tagapangulo, sapagkat noon pong dati na binigyan ako ng isyu na isang tsismis, eh naglabas po kaagad ang ating sergeant-at-arms ng report at binigay niya po kaagad sa media. Ito po, wala pong kahit na sino ang nagpapaliwanag na hindi ko po ginawa. Ang tanong ko po, meron po ba tayong tinititigan sa tinitingnan dito? Kasi napaka-bigat po ng akusasyon na ito sa harapan po ng ating bandila,” the Senator said.
Sen. Robin Padilla further told Senate Pres. Tito Sotto that he is ready to resign if it is just politics. Based on the post, the Senator, a known Duterte ally, asked that his religion will not be an issue.
“Ito po’y nag-iisang diyos. Dito po nakasalalay ang aming pananampalataya. Handa po kaming magpakamatay para dito. Sana po huwag pong gamitin ito para siraan ako. Dahil sinasabi ko po mahal na tagapangulo, kung gusto niyo akong mag-resign ngayon na kung gusto ninyo. Huwag niyo akong siraan,” Padilla said.
Amid the viral issue, former actress Mariel Padilla also defended her husband, Sen. Robin Padilla, over his hand sign during the singing of the Philippine national anthem.