Former Genuine Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano’s appointment as general counsel of the Senate blue ribbon committee was allegedly blocked by majority leader Francis Pangilinan at around the same time the latter was nominated by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim to chair the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
Senate sources said the animosity between Pangilinan and Tamano which started during the campaign for the May elections was the reason for Pangilinan’s move. The source said the senator, who does not want to see Tamano in the Senate, went to Senate President Manuel Villar when he learned about Tamano’s impending appointment to the BRC.
It was Tamano who reportedly gave Pangilinan an ultimatum to attend the GO proclamation rally and its sorties if he wanted to be drafted into the GO senatorial lineup. Pangilinan stuck to his independent stance and was subsequently dropped from the opposition slate. He won his senatorial bid just the same.