“Sanay ako sa coup d' etat (I am used to coup d’ etat). I don’t know where that story came from but there’s no need for them to do any coup d’ etat. All they have to do is tell me, 'Here we have 13 numbers,' and I’ll give it up right away,” Enrile said in a press briefing.

But administration ally Sen. Franklin Drilon said he was stunned to be at the center of a rumored plot to oust Enrile from the Senate leadership.

In a radio interview, Drilon denied having any knowledge of an impending reorganization in the chamber and denied having a hand in the newest plot to remove Enrile.

Enrile said he would not do any “loyalty check” among members of the Senate because doing so would mean he is clinging to the position.

“I’m not doing any loyalty check. I think I will demean the members of the Senate if I will conduct a loyalty check. And for what? I told them before, when they approached me to become Senate president and I have repeated this over and over, that anytime you want to change me, you are free to change me,” Enrile said.

Drilon said he has been in Thailand since Sunday with his family when the issue cropped up. The coup jitters swirled Thursday at the Senate as restive officers and staffers are said to be fidgeting over an impending leadership overhaul that is said to take place once Senate resumes regular session on Monday.

“These talks of coup are actually nothing new to us senators. I was only surprised to find out that my name is being floated as the next Senate President,” Drilon said over radio DWIZ.

“When I asked my staff who was leading this coup, I was told I was the one. But that’s not possible because I’m in Bangkok now,” he also said.

Drilon assured that he is fully supporting the leadership of Enrile and reiterated that he is not interested to take the position.

“Habang interesado po si Sen. Enrile ay susuportahan ko po si Sen. Enrile (I will support Sen. Enrile while he is interested,),” Drilon said.

Drilon also rejected insinuations that having a Liberal Party senator at the helm of the Senate would be beneficial to Malacanang as it could expedite the Aquino government’s priority legislation.

He said legislative work at the Senate is already fast under Enrile’s leadership.

“Hindi na kailangan baguhin ang pangulo ng Senado upang mapabilis ang pagpasa ng mga batas dahil ngayon po sa ilalim ni Sen Juan Ponce Enrile ay mabilis na ang trabaho sa Senado (The Senate do not need a new leadership just to fast-track the passage of bills because currently under Sen. Enrile, legislative work is already in a fast pace,” Drilon said.

When asked if he felt challenged again with the new overtures against his leadership, Enrile said he is not threatened over losing grip of the Senate presidency.

“I don’t feel challenged at all. I would feel challenged if I’m really that interested and dying to remain as a Senate president, but I’m not,” he said.

“Anybody who has the numbers, just come here tell me. I’ll not take it against anyone (because) that's given in any organization like this that when your peers do not want you anymore and they want to change you, sure,” Enrile added.

Enrile, however, said he doubts Malacañang is involved in the perceived “coup attempt.”

“I don’t think Malacañang would even bother to get involved in something like that. As far as my relationship with Malacañang during the time of (former) President Gloria (Macapagal-Arroyo) and during this time of President (Benigno) Aquino III, I have not changed my attitude towards Malacañang,” Enrile pointed out.

“My degree of cooperation is the same. And I am not doing this because I want to prove myself to anybody. For power? I’ve had enough power in life. I’m doing it for the country. We cannot afford to be bickering, to be fighting in this country anymore. There are people there who are waiting for us to work together to serve them,” he also said.

At the start of the 15th Congress last July, Enrile came out as the compromise choice for Senate President of both the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. who cannot muster enough numbers to gain the Senate presidency.

Originally, Drilon and another LP senator Francis Pangilinan were also considered for the top post.

When asked to comment, Sen. Gregorio Honasan, an ally of Enrile, said he does not see any particular motive for a revamp. But should that happen, he believes Enrile would not at all be bothered.

“As Senate President Enrile himself said he serves at the pleasure of the majority and would not stand in the way if it is for the good of the country,” Honasan said.

“We will not lose sleep over it, if there is a good reason to reorganize, if it would be good for the Senate, there is no problem,” he added.

Manila Bulletin