Press Release
September 11, 2018

Transcript of Ambush Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III

On TRAIN 2

SP Sotto: Yesterday to review it. Kasi yung sa akin, yung finile kong version, general version but emphasis is on the reduction of the corporate income tax, from 30 percent to 25 percent, that was the emphasis of my version. But then again, the rationalization issue on tax incentives, doon sa akin, hindi ko sinasama yung mga economic zones kasi self-generating lahat yun, investment driven. Pagka inalis natin ang tax incentives nung mga yun, medyo mapapasama na naman. Parang yung effect na narinig natin sa TRAIN 1 (unclear). So I am going to review the House version.

Q: Will you adopt the House version?

SP Sotto: Pwede, kung nagustuhan namin. I will ask Senator Angara to look at it now para mas madali, at magkaroon ng pag-asang mapasa yan. If it is going to be beneficial, if it will not redound to additional problems on taxes, or might contribute again to inflation, we will definitely support it.

Q: You can withdraw yung version ninyo?

SP Sotto: Yes. After I review it, if we find it substantial at saka talagang (unclear), then I need not withdraw mine, we will probably use the House version as a substitute bill or adopt the House version. Pwede ng i-archive yung finile ko.

Q: May pa ba na (unclear) yung committee hearing ng ways and means?

SP Sotto: Meron.

Q: May target ba kayo na before the year ends?

SP Sotto: Wala naman. Basta I will ask Sonny Angara to review it first.

Q: Si Senator Recto sabi niya wrong (unclear) inflationary, may inflationary effect daw yun?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman agad mapapasa yan. At saka kung ang effect nito ay makakatulong, di ba? Kasi perhaps my other colleagues were looking at the original TRAIN 2 kaya ganun. Tingnan natin ito, kung ano ang version na ito.

I cannot commit to it yet, dahil we have not read it, pero if they have passed it already, then they will transmit it then once it's transmitted I am sure it would refer it to the committee on ways and means.

Q: Sir nasesense mo na dito sa Senate medyo mahihirapan yung paglusot ng TRAIN?

SP Sotto: Yung version na original ng TRAIN 2, mahihirapan sa Senado yun. Yung version ko, dahil medyo iningatan ko yung (unclear) on tax (unclear) removal, and made it rationalization talaga, and excluded the job generating sector, medyo may pag-asa yun. But then again, we have to look at the House version, and see if it is better than what I have filed.

On the President addressing the nation this afternoon.

Q: May idea po kayo kung ano ang sasabihin niya?

SP Sotto: Wala. I am tempted to call Bong Go and ask, but I'd rather not. I'm sure baka mapasubo pa yun.

Q: May gusto ba kayong marinig?

SP Sotto: Wala naman. Perhaps, maganda siguro kung maexplain niyang mabuti sa mga kababayan natin yung issue ng effect ng inflation, and the effect in the increase in prices of oil, and the effect of the dollar getting stronger by the day, siguro baka maeksplika niya sa atin para maintindihan ng mga kababayan natin, something like that pero let's listen. Anong oras ba?

Q: 3:00 P.M.

SP Sotto: Aba sabay pa sa paghampas dito. I might also call a caucus, baka mapakinggan namin yun. Not because of that, because of my meeting with GMA. I had a meeting yesterday morning, there were 11 issues that we discussed. I will take it up with them.

Q: Just the two of you? SP Sotto: Yes, just the two of us. Her political assistant was there. Legislative lahat.

Q: Coup d'état?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman.

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