Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III

On Senator JV Ejercito joining the NPC

Q: Si Sen. JV daw bukas manunumpa na? Dito raw gagawin?

SP Sotto: Yes, dito gagawin.

Q: Si Mocha po kasama? Bakit nakipag-meeting sa inyo?

SP Sotto: She is having a documentary which she will use in her website. She interviewed me about the lowering of the age of criminal liability to 12 years old.

Q: Hindi ninyo napagusapan kung tatakbo siya?

SP Sotto: Hindi. We did not talk about that. Natyempo lang na pagkatapos nun, Senator Honasan was there also, nag-courtesy call sa akin yung mga officials ng Facebook, the Asia and the Philippine leadership ng Facebook.

Q: Ano po ang napagusapan ninyo ng Facebook?

SP Sotto: Nireport nila yung mga fake accounts na naremove na nila. 583,000 have already been removed by Facebook and they are still removing some, they are trying to find out those na nagreregister na hindi naman totoo ang mga pangalan nila, hindi true identities nila. Nirereport lang nila.

Q: Since when po yung number ng fake accounts?

SP Sotto: As of today. Kinekwento nila sa akin while they were on a courtesy call.

Q: With the hope na mag-iintroduce kayo ng bill?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman, wala pa kaming pinag-uusapang ganun. Nirereport pa lang nila. I had the chance kasi to be the guest nila in a ribbon cutting ceremony of their new office in BGC. During that time I told them that I was expecting Facebook to be family fun, social, social media, and not what's happening, na pinanggagalingan ng fake news, tapos kung anu-anong nangyayaring fake accounts na nagmumura,naninira ng kapwa. They were very bothered, and so they started scrutinizing specially those based in the Philippines. As of now 583,000 na na fake accounts. Can you imagine na napakarami? Isa sa malalakas na user tayo sa Pilipinas ng Facebook in the world.

Q: Of the 583,000 were they able to trace kung saang countries galing itong mga fake accounts?

SP Sotto: We didn't go into that. Hindi na ganun kalalim yung pinagusapan.

Q: Kailangan po ba ng remedial legislation?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa. Iniisip din nila because sabi nila pinagusapan daw sa States ngayon yun. In the US Senate they were discussing that because they invited Mark Zuckerberg. Pinag-uusapan pa. Sa atin wala silang nirerecommend at the moment because at the moment kaya nila. Kaya nilang ipolice yung ranks nila and they have already authorized at least a dozen fact checkers. It's not confined to before, akala ng iba confined lang to Rappler and some others, no it's not. They have tapped other groups.

Q: Are you inclined to accommodate them if they call for remedial legislation?

SP Sotto: Depende what type of legislation is going to be pushed.

Q: Final na ba yung decision not to accommodate Imee Marcos and Bam Aquino sa slate ng NPC?

SP Sotto: I will know (unclear) Thursday ng tanghali.

Q: Ano po ang magiging requirements ng party para (unclear)?

SP Sotto: Siguro ang sense namin is kung pareho ng tinatakbo ng ideals namin ang kandidato, at tingin namin ay makakatulong ito sa aming partido pag ito'y nakarating sa Senado, then we can accommodate. At saka malaking bagay din yung relationship, may mga kaibigan sa amin, kasi ang mganagrerekomenda mga governor, mga mayor, mga congressmen, hindi naman just a few people are recommended.

Q: Paano ninyo isesettle yung additional, like si Senator JV papasok sa NPC, tapos si Senator Jinggoy, most likely, ieendorse din?

SP Sotto: Tingnan muna natin kung ano ang resulta sa Thursday.

Q: Yung isa official member talaga, yung isa adopted?

SP Sotto: Maaaring ganun. Unless Jinggoy decides to join the NPC also. As a matter of fact I just found out yesterday that the party is also considering Bong Revilla.

Q: Pero di ba as much as possible hindi sila magkasama sa party?

SP Sotto: Baka lang naman, nabanggit ko lang na baka lang.

Q: Will Senator JV's opinion matter po?

SP Sotto: I'd rather answer that Pagdating ng Thursday. Mas mabuting marinig ko muna yung iba naming kasama.