MANILA — Outgoing Sen. Richard Gordon on Friday gave his unsolicited advice to whoever will succeed him as the next chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

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"Pag nilagay ka diyan kailangan independent-minded ka. Isasantabi mo 'yung partido, sabi nga ni [former President Manuel] Quezon, my loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins. So basically, yun ang guiding point mo," Gordon told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview/

Gordon issued the statement a day after returning Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano declared his interest to chair the powerful Senate committee, which, according to presumptive Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier, was already committed to Sen. Francis Tolentino.

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Gordon said the Blue Ribbon panel, which investigates any act of perceived malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in the government, requires a lot of independence and courage from the sitting chairman.

• Zubiri says to consult 'supermajority' on Cayetano bid to head blue ribbon committee

"Kung alam mo na hindi mo magagawa yun dahil presidente na yung involved o ang administration ang involved, huwag mong tanggapin. Dapat tanggapin mo kung kaya mo talaga dahil ang dami-dami talagang katiwalian. Marami kang pagpipilian na katiwalian," Gordon said.

"You have to be firm and fair," the outgoing senator added.

Gordon sought reelection in Halalan 2022 but failed to make it in the Senate race top 12.