Transcript of interview with Majority Leader Sen. Vicente C. Sotto III

Q: Sir regarding the appointment ni Sec. Roxas sa CA?

Sotto: Wala pa kaming nare-receive, we have just being in touch with the secretariat of CA and they have not receive any letter yet officially. So, hindi pa mapo-forward sa committee ko 'yon.

Q: Malacanang daw nag-announce na pinadala na 'yung nomination letter?

Sotto: So you better ask the CA secretariat because that is the information they gave to me.

Q: Sir point of clarification, until a secretary is named to a department, meron na s'yang hiring or firing power?

Sotto: if a cabinet official is nominated not as an ad-interim, he will have to wait for confirmation by the CA before his official duty become official.

Q: In the light of sensitive question that Sec. Roxas has made about position being vacant as co-terminus with the late secretary Robredo.

Sotto: Well, probably he means it in a prospective manner.

Q: So he is not necessary saying it now?

Sotto: I would like to think that it is prospective as far his concern.

Q: Sir pa-react naman sa sinasabi ni Sen. Pia na delaying tactics is in the air daw about the RH Bill.

Sotto: Of course not, it is always been their claim, if delaying tactics are going to be used then they will not have it on the floor, as simple as that.

Q: Sir, how will you classify your series of privilege speeches?

Sotto: Look we have just a difference of 1 day or 2 days, 1 week or 2 weeks, hindi 'yon ang delaying tactics, ang delay uupuan like what happen sa CamSur. If regular bills or even local bills are subjected to scrutiny why not a very controversial bill that seeks to divide the country and it is dividing the country right now, bakit kailangan apurahin 'yan at hindi natin pag-usapan mabuti rito.

Q: Sir 'yung picture na sinasabi ni Sen. Enrile na baka abutin na sa June 2013 na s'ya?

Sotto: Everything is possible but it is really depends on how the period of amendments will go, as a matter of fact in the period of amendment the picture will be clearer on how it will come out. After the committee amendment because I probably think there are some committee amendments but when it comes to individual amendment period that where the problem, it really depends on how the period of amendment will go.

Q: Sir pagbotohan nalang daw.

Sotto: Kung ako mismo ang tatanuning, I want this out of my hair, I want this out of the Senate Hall, kung pwede lang ngang pagbotohan ngayon araw na ito pagbotohan na natin eh, either reject it, dispose it or approve it in whatever form mas-gusto 'yon, kaso, there are processes to follow. May mga proseso tayong kailangan sundin at 'yung mga taong nago-oppose ay meron kaming karapatan na tanungin. Like for example, kalahati palang ang aking pinapaliwanag kung bakit ako nago-oppose, meron pang kalahati and I scheduled it on Wednesday. It was supposed to schedule this Monday more than a week ago pa but Sen. Osmena requested that this Monday can be reserved for him for a very important privilege speech on a matter of personal and collective privilege, so we reserve it, I moved mine. Unfortunately, I was informed by Sen. Osmena last Wednesday that he is moving his privilege speech today, it is too late for me to replace and go back to my original Monday sched. Hindi rin naman pwede bukas because there are sponsorships that already been schedule and there are privilege speeches that already been schedule for tomorrow (Tuesday), so, what is the difference of another day? Wednesday tatapusin ko and hopefully pakinggan n'yong mabuti sapagkat 'yung last 2 parts pagsasamahin ko sa isa, although medyo may kahabaan pero sa palagay ko ito na ang pinakamahalaga sa mga sinasabi nating laban dito sa RH Bill.