Cayetano, Marcos, Tolentino eyed to chair ways and means panel

Senators-elect Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, and Francis Tolentino are being considered to chair the Senate ways and means committee of the 18th Congress.

Incumbent and in-coming senators gathered last Wednesday night for a dinner at Senator Manny Pacquiao’s residence in Makati and discussed committee chairmanships, Senator Joel Villanueva said Thursday.

Villanueva in an interview on ANC said that during the gathering, senators present indicated their preferences for the Senate panel leadership.

“I still have no idea who’s going to chair but last night they were talking about two or three names: Senators Pia, Francis, Imee…” Villanueva said .

The committee on ways and means has jurisdiction over all matters relating to revenue generally —taxes and fees, tariffs, loans, and other sources and forms of revenue.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said Imee showed interest, but Imee said she might decline the committee chairmanship if offered because she is not fit for the position.

According Villanueva, some in-coming senators are more assertive in choosing committees they intend to chair, than senators during the first time he joined the chamber. —Joviland Rita/LBG, GMA News