Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III

On Monday's meeting with the President.

SP Sotto: Wala ako sa meeting, yung Monday na meeting nila. May session kasi noon, so yung mga seatmates at saka yung ibang co-seatmates yung kameeting ni Presidente. I was not there. We had a letter before that, we sent a letter to the President, it's not a senate resolution to that effect. It was just a letter seeking the possibility of the suspension of the excise taxes. Not only the incoming one, pero the one that is provided by law. Merong provided ng law na pag umabot ng 80 something. It was just a love letter to the President signed by 17 members of the majority.

On the commitment that the excise taxes will be suspended.

SP Sotto: I was not there but according to Migz, he said he promised to do so.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Oo, hindi naman kailangan magsulat.

Q: Hindi resolution expressing the sense of the Senate?

SP Sotto: Hindi.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Kasi yun ang clamor. (Unclear) sense ng karamihan ng mga kasamahan namin sa Senado so syempre yung iba sa amin hindi naman fully grasped yung issue, we would support the majority.

Q: No need to pass a bill suspending the income taxes?

SP Sotto: Hindi na.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: You better ask Secretary Medialdea because he was the one who announced to some people na they were suspending it. He would be in the best position to say what the President's action would be. On the Dangerous Drugs Board releasing the names of narco-politicians.

SP Sotto: Alam mo kasi dalawa ang perspective diyan. Naiintindihan ko ang perspective ng Dangerous Drugs Board, dati akong chairman nun, lalo na nung galing ako sa local, nung Vice-Mayor ng Quezon City at nag anti-drug abuse council ako. Mainit talaga ang dugo mo diyan. Kahit na sino ang involved sa illegal drugs mainit ka. So even if alam mong medyo hindi matatanggap ng iba yung suspetsa pa lang, or suspect pa lang ay ilalabas na yung mga pangalan, pero gagawin mo. Ganun yung mentality ng Dangerous Drugs Board. I cannot blame them for that, I used to be there, and I know the feeling. As a matter of fact there were times when I was already in the Senate, bago pa lang ako dito, nagpi-privelege speech ako, nilalabas ko yung mga pangalan nung mga involved although walang ebidensiya pa. Pero at this point, at this time na lalo na malapit na ang eleksiyon, baka gamin nung iba naman. There is the other perspective na baka gagamitin yung paninira sa kapwa, by saying na ganito yan, involved yan, ito nasa listahan. What if the list is not validated? That's the problem.

Q: So better if they don't release t he list at this time?

SP Sotto: I would rather think that they should do a different approach. Siguro, mas kampanya on the ground. Kung alam mong sa area na ito involved si ganito, involved si ganun, let the people know that, and then the DILG should be able to play a pivotal role pagdating diyan. Dapat ang DILG ang kumilos diyan. Yung mga sa tingin nila involved, may mga kaso, suspend nila. That will be a message already doon sa local, sa mga botante. I think yun ang gusto nila, na yung mga botante maging aware kung sino ang involved sa illegal drugs. May ibang paraan na pwedeng gawin, wag lang lock, stock ang barrel ay bigla mong ilalabas sa nationwide na dyaryo o iaannounce ang mga pangalan. Una baka mapollute yung listahan tapos hindi validated, baka may mga madamay.

On the possibility of Senator Trillanes staying at the Senate if he is served the second warrant of arrest.

SP Sotto: Wala kaming napag-uusapan.

Q: Will it be the same this time kasi walang session?

SP Sotto: Wala namang problema.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: I am sure if that happens Senator Trillanes has promised that he will face the warrant so I do not expect anything untoward.

Q: Babantayan po ba siya sa bahay ng OSAA hanggang kung saan siya makukulong?

SP Sotto: Kung irerequest niya we will allow it. Wala p naman, wala kaming napag-uusapan. Masyadong maraming problema sa mga nominees namin sa partido.

On whether NC has an official list already before the official day of filing ends.

SP Sotto: Ang agreement namin, after the 17th kung maliwanag na kung sino-sino yung mga kandidato, ang NPC will come up with a list of senatorial candidates that they will support. Ask the NPC as a whole. That means, from top to ground, tutulungan namin yun sa mga lugar na kontrolado namin. Ikakampanya namin sila. Ngayon, meron ding kaming sari-sarili na gusting tulungan na ikampanya. I don't speak alone, ganun din ang iniisip ni Ambassador Danding. Siya rin, meron siyang mga tatlo, apat na gustong matulungan na maaaring wala doon sa list. Ako rin, baka may mga dalawa, tatlo na wala doon sa NPC list na gusto kong tulungan pero ikakampanya ko pa rin. Pero sa meron kaming official, the Secretary General, Congressman Dong Mendoza, will announce the NPC senatorial slate. Definitely heading the list will be the three NPC candidates. Namely Grace Poe, Lito Lapid, and JV Ejercito.

 Q: Will you have a full slate?

SP Sotto: Hindi siguro. That will give us an elbowroom para sa mga gusto naming matulungang iba. Mas maganda kung walo lang, walo, maximum siyam, and then meron kang open na mga dalawa, tatlo na pwede mo on your own tulungan. I think that was what we agreed upon with the ambassador the last time we met.

Q: Open kayo sa coalition with the Nacionalista Party?

SP Sotto: Hindi na necessary na merong coalition, pwedeng alliance especially in the local level pero meron din kaming susuportahan na senatorial candidates na member ng ibang political party.

Q: So pagdating sa campaign, hindi sila pwedeng umakyat sa entablado?

SP Sotto: Pwede pa rin dahil hindi naman kailangang sabay-sabay yan, alam mo naman ang mga rally sa local, halos gabi-gabi may rally sila. May mga rally na pwedeng yung mga NPC lang ang mga official na nandodoon, pero meron siyang rally na pwedeng imbitahin yung dalawa, tatlo, tsaka ang sense naman namin ay ganito ang mangyayari, malamang isa o dalawang beses lang magkakaroon ng pagkakataon na ang NPC in a large local province ay magkakaroon ng rally iimbitahin namin yung slate. It might happen only once or twice.

Q: On the President accompanying SAP Go at the COMELEC.

SP Sotto: I sympathize with the COMELEC. Wala sa kamay ng COMELEC yun, hindi nila kayang ienforce yun, kasi si Secretary Go, kung sasamahan siya ng apat, pinayagan siya, lima sila, papasok sila doon, (unclear) wala naman silang magagawa doon. Pero kung ang Presidente ng Pilipinas gustong pumunta sa COMELEC, hindi mo pwedeng aalisin ang PSG. Hindi mo pwedeng alisin yung mga kasama niya, so walang magagawa ang COMELEC doon. Presidente yan, iisa lang yan sa buong Pilipinas, walang magagawa ang kahit sino doon. Hindi naman pwedeng papasukin ang Presidente na siya lang mag-isa. Hindi papayag ang PSG,

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Meron lang mga humihingi ng kopya. Binigay naman namin yung (unclear) sa mga senators na humingi.

Q: Individual senators? SP Sotto: Oo. It's in the repository of the Senate. Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Sa peace and order, and to protect and serve. Dapat doon nakatuon ang AFP and PNP. (Unclear).