"We are doing our job," Senate tells Malacañang

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Friday assured Malacanang there is nothing to worry about the affairs in the Senate, especially on the issue of the ethics case involving Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.

Zubiri, speaking on behalf of the Senate, said the "Senate is full steam ahead on its legislative calendar and its priority bills."

The Majority Leader identified that "this week alone the Senate passed a total of 65 measures; namely, 4 franchise bills; and 24 approved local bills from the committee of public works and highways headed by Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.; 24 additional national high schools by the Senate education committee headed by Sen. Mar Roxas; and 4 approved local bills and 2 national bills under the committee on local governments by Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr."

Five national bills were also passed, beginning with the Ratification of the Magna Carta for Women by Sen. Jamby Madrigal; the amendments to the EPIRA Law by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; the Documentary Stamp Tax Exemption for Stock Market Transactions by Sen. Panfilo Lacson; the International Humanitarian Law of Sen. Richard Gordon; ang the Bicameral Conference Committee Report of the Rent Control Act of 2009 authored and sponsored by the Majority Leader.

Zubiri said the "Senate Committee on the Whole in which all senators are a member does not function during the plenary session."

"It is conducted in the mornings of Mondays and Thursdays which gives us senators free time to do our committee hearings in the afternoon and plenary sessions at 3 p.m., Monday to Wednesday."

He added that from the time the Senate convened the Committee of the Whole "it has not at any time hindered our legislative capability. As a matter of fact this last two weeks have been very productive weeks, and we expect the next two weeks to be even more productive."

"Whatever personal issues the senators have in the Majority or in the Minority are put aside when the nation's interest is put forward.

The Majority Leader likewise, thanked the "Minority bloc for their cooperation in the passage of important and necessary pieces of legislation. The Senate will show that at the end of the day we can all rise above petty politics and personal ambition to pass legislation which is crucial for nation building."

"Malacañang or any other sector does not have to worry because we at the Senate are doing our job," Zubiri said.