MANILA — Sen. Francis Tolentino on Tuesday confirmed he would give up the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairmanship in January.

This is in compliance to an “agreement” with the Senate leadership that he will only head the panel for “one-and-a-half year” and formally let go of the position in the plenary, Tolentino said.

“It is my intention to honor an agreement. In fulfillment of a sacred commitment to serve as blue ribbon committee chairman and member of the commission on appointments for a concise term of one and a half year, I find it both a duty and an honor to uphold the essence of a prior agreement,” he said.

“This decision is rooted in a deep seated belief that public office demands fidelity to pledges made. Ang pagtupad sa kasunduan ay nakabatay sa aking malalim na paniniwala na ang pangako na maglingkod ng maikling panahon ay isang sagradong tungkulin sa paglilingkod sa bayan na dapat tuparin,” he added.

Aside from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Tolentino will also give up his slot at the Commission on Appointments when the session resumes in January.

But he said he was willing to keep the said posts until his replacement is named.

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Tolentino said he accepted the Blue Ribbon post because he had wanted "to help the Senate administration in fast-tracking the formation of various committees."

"Para bagong administrasyon, bagong executive, bagong Senado. So para mabilis na," he said.

"Sa natatandaan ko, nagkasundo na ganoon kasi gusto ko nga hit the ground running yung new Senate leadership as well as the new BBM administration para organized na lahat,” he added.

Tolentino admitted that his reelection plan in 2025 is part of the reason he is determined to honor the agreement to let of the blue ribbon chairmanship.

“Kasama na rin po iyon. Kung matatandaan niyo noong Senate President si Koko Pimentel, part ng consideration niya sa pagbaba mag-prepare na rin daw siya... Kasama po lahat iyan, kasama na po iyan sa evolving contextual conditions. Pero ang mahalaga sa akin ngayon pagtuunan ko rin ng pansin itong West Philippine Sea,” he said.

In giving up the Blue Ribbon panel and CA seat, Tolentino will be left with the chairmanships of the Senate Justice Committee and Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones.

Tolentino reported that the Blue Ribbon Committee under his watch investigated the Department of Education’s laptop deal with the involved personalities now being probed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Its inquiry into a sugar importation deal led to the resignation of several officials, while separate proceedings spurred the filing of several bills on vaccine procurement, he said.

Tolentino noted he would leave the committee with a pending investigation on irrigation projects.

He said he would file a recommendation to amend the Senate Rules concerning resource persons.