BBM knew of Migz's looming ouster but denies hand

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN President Marcos yesterday denied involvement in the ouster of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as Senate president, but admitted knowing beforehand movements to change the chamber's leadership, which prides itself as independent of Malacañang.

- ALEXIS ROMERO

Speaking to reporters who covered his state visit here, Marcos said he learned about the plan to unseat Zubiri from Senate President Francis Escudero himself.

"It was Senator Chiz, the minute he started thinking about it, he already brought it up and he said: 'I think I'm going to try to be the SP. What's my situation? What do you think?' And I did not speak to any parties at any point, simply because I was out of town," Marcos said.

"That morning, I was asked if I would issue a statement on the change of leadership and I said, 'Why? Has it changed?' They said, 'Well, someone is moving," " Marcos added.

Marcos was in Tacloban and Dumaguete to distribute aid to El Niño-hit sectors on May 20, the day Zubiri was replaced by Escudero.