Press Release
March 14, 2019

Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with Pinky Webb of The Source, CNN Philippines

On the meeting with President Duterte on the 2019 budget

Q: Ano po ba talaga ang nangyari nung Tuesday night during the meeting?

SP Sotto: Well the President opened the meeting right after sitting down by saying that he wants this impasse resolved and I am telling you now, he said, exact words niya ito, "I will not sign anything unless Senate President Sotto signs it." So ang feeling nga namin, may message na kaagad doon sa House of representatives na sinasabi niya, ayusin ninyo yan, parang ganun, because ako naman, I will not sign if I will be complicit to the violation of the revised penal code, and the violation of the Constitution, to us, it's as simple as that.

Q: I was thinking about that because that was the story yesterday, but also in hindsight, he cannot sign anything that you won't sign, because it does not become a legal document.

SP Sotto: Yes but there is a possibility that they will send it direct to the President, bypass the Senate.

Q: But without the signature of the Senate President? Is that even possible?

SP Sotto: They can do that, it's not possible. It's not possible, but they can do that.

Q: After that, ano ang nangyari?

SP Sotto: The House chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Congressman Andaya, started by saying that what they did was part of the itemization and all that, and he was saying something about the Senate also doing the same thing after ratification, which was corrected by Senator Legarda. Senator Legarda asked for the floor right away and explained what Congressman Andaya was saying, and then after so many words, and I had to butt in already because there were these interpretations being mentioned, Senator Lacson came up with a suggestion, Ang sabi niya kay Presidente, the best way Mr. President for us to resolve this, is for the House to recall what they sent us today, that they sent during that day and remove the realignments, the internal realignments that they did after the ratification. And then we will approve it, we will approve it, we will sign it, the Senate President will sign it, we will give it to you. Indeed there will be lump sum appropriations then but it is up to the President on what to do with it. As far as the President is concerned if he does that it will not be a violation of the Constitution unlike if we did.

Q: And then?

SP Sotto: The President said something to the effect that "parang pasasakitin yung ulo ko, ako ang ano niyan." Ang sabi namin, kung may manghihingi sa inyo, Mr. President, from the House, eh di manghingi sila. Eh di pagbigyan ninyo yung dapat, yung hindi, iveto ninyo or wag ninyo pagbigyan. And then Executive Secretary Medialdea who was on his right side, on his left was Secretary Sonny Dominguez, both were nodding their heads and they agreed as a matter of fact when we talked to them personally, that would be the best option. The House did not say anything.

Q: That's where I was going to go. What did they sa to that?

SP Sotto: I did not hear them say they are not in favor.

Q: But did they say they were in favor?

SP Sotto: I don't recall also.

Q: Were they quiet?

SP Sotto: For that portion? I think so. I don't recall anything that would go against the suggestion. Akala nga namin, okay na yan.

Q: Dahil hindi po nagsalita ang House contingent, you understood it as pumayag sila? Tama ba?

SP Sotto: Well, acquiescence, we could say.

Q: Parang, hindi sila umangal, ang ibig sabihin noon, so pumayag sila?

SP Sotto: Yun ang sense namin, so we were surprised when the following day they were saying that it's not possible and they will stand pat with what they submitted already. Well, it's their own lookout, as far as we are concerned, we are expecting them to recall what they sent.

Q: You are not going to move, is that so? Let's get it very factually. Hindi gagalaw ang Senado hanggang irecall yung pinadala sa inyo at ibalik doon sa original?

SP Sotto: Yes. Original na niratify namin. Included na yung sinasabi nilang nag-itemize sila after ratification, all right, since 1987 it's being done, ina-itemize yung budget nila. Like for example, sinasabi nila pakialaman namin yung amin, yung initemize sa amin. Yung initemize namin, before ratification. Even after ratification, initemize yung budget namin, or yung budget na nilagay namin. Ang sinasabi namin, ginalaw ninyo, yung hindi ninyo budget. Ginalaw nila yung budget ng DPWH at inilagay sa mga distrito.

Q: We need to talk about that because not all of us understand what happened in the budget because there are allegations by Senator Ping Lacson, and then the congressmen are saying there's no such thing, itemization versus lump sum. Let's get into the nitty-gritty. Sabi nila nag-itemize sila, versus you saying what? Hindi lang sila nag-itemize, but nag-reallocate sila?

SP Sotto: Nag-internal realignment sila.

Q: Which is illegal, you are saying.

SP Sotto: Yes, it is illegal. Let's say there is a hundred pesos and that is your money, and that is what you presented in the bicam. In the bicam, you ratified and then you will itemize now, you will say ten pesos is for this, ten pesos is for that, that's fine. That's what has been done in all Congresses, okay yun. Ito hindi eh. Ibang budget ang ginalaw mo. Yung realignment, hindi yung one hundred pesos. Ang kinuha mo, yung one hundred pesos ni Presidente at inilagay mo sa mga distrito ninyo na wala sa bicam yan. Wala sa ratification o sa usapan natin yan.

Q: Ito po ba yung sinasabi ni Senator Ping na yung pera sana na gagamitin sa pondo sa Build, Build, Build, yun yung kinuha nila?

SP Sotto: Yes.

Q: At nilagay sa mga distrito nila?

SP Sotto: Oo.

Q: And to be clear, nilagay sa mga distrito ng sino, kakampi ni Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?

SP Sotto: Oo, mga kakampi at yung mga ibang kakampi at hindi kakampi, hindi naman namin malalaman yan kung hindi nagreklamo eh. Pag nakarating sa amin, nagrereklamo agad. Doon mo makikita ang sitwasyon. It's so easy to look at how the situation is really. In the Senate, all 23 senators are in sink, wala kaming problema as far as this issue is concerned. The House of Representatives, mahigit sisenta ang nagrereklamo. Aside from the fact na nagkaroon ng disparity sila doon sa kanilang hospital facilities enhancement program, yung iba binigyan ng P8-million, yung iba binigyan ng P25-million, yung mga ganun.

Q: So iba pa itong sinasabi ninyong kinuha ang pondo...?

SP Sotto: Iba pa yun. Part na lang ng itemization nila yun, umaangal na lang yung mga congressman.

Q: How much are we talking about? Are we talking about P96-billion?

SP Sotto: Ang pagkaka-alam namin, ang total na nagalaw is P96-billion.

Q: Is this P96-billion, again just for clarification, yung kinuha sa pondo para sana sa Build, Build, Build at nilagay sa distrito?

SP Sotto: P72-billion ang pagkakaalam namin. Doon sa P96-billion I think there were other movements, I think, I am not familiar with that, it was Senator Lacson who was more or less in the know of where the rest, how it happened, and where it...

Q: So P72-billion for sure ang sinabing ginalaw sa pondo sana ng Pangulo, para sa Build, Build, Build project, na napunta sa mga kaalyado ni Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

SP Sotto: At sa mga distrito ng mga kaalayado.

Q: Do you know also if the P72-billion also forms part of the health enhancement program, yung sinabi po ni Senator Ping?

SP Sotto: Iba pa yun.

Q: Iba pa yun, that's different? There is an overpriced mandato, doon sila bumili ng over-priced ambulance na P2.5 million?

SP Sotto: Something to that effect pero iba pa yun, kasi yung sinasabing ni-realign, kung ito, para lang malinaw sa kanila, I am sure they are monitoring you, kung ito ginawa nila before ratification, before bicam at inapprove namin sa bicam, ano ang magagawa namin, eh yun ang pinipilit nila, hindi magkakasundo sa bicam (unclear) nila, hindi eh. Ginawa nila, after naratify na namin. After may napagkasunduan na kami ng gagalawin. Yun ang issue namin, Ngayon, bakit napaka-tagal nang panahon? Look, face back, dapat yan, July, pagsubmit ng Presidente sa kanila ng budget, sa amin usually, before October, before the Halloween break na tinatawag or first week of October, nasa amin na yan. Tapos na yan. Kami, by December, okay na rin yan. Nathre-thresh out lahat yan. Hindi eh. November 20 nung ipadala sa amin. December 4 nung isponsorship sa amin sa floor. So imposibleng during the Christmas break mapapasa namin yan, isuscrutinize namin syempre yan. Pagdating ng January 21, we approved it, in February 8, mabilis na nga yung ginawa namin, in February 8 we were already able to ratify the bicam report. They ratified February 11. Imagine, from July to February 11, July of 2018, to February 11 of 2019, tapos may gagalawin ka thereafter?

Q: If they realigned, did they not think na makikita po ng mga senador yan? Kasi nakita din po, according to you from the articles I've read, nakita ng inyong research sa Senado.

SP Sotto: Originally, the ones who called our attention were the officers of the Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) that has been there for more than 40 years.

Q: My question is, how can congressmen just realign knowing that masisilip po ninyo ito?

SP Sotto: Baka akala hindi namin masisilip. Or baka the explanation that they are saying now is that they are itemizing. Walang problema sa amin, itemization lang ng budget ninyo, pero yung budgeting Presidente ang ginalaw.

Q: The congressmen are saying, kayo din naman, ginalaw din ninyo ang budget. True or false?

SP Sotto: Oo. Ginalaw namin when it was time for us to scrutinize it, to amend it, to propose amendments. For example, doon sa DPWH, merong P75-billion na hindi alam ng Secretary ng DPWH kung paano napunta roon. Sa DILG, may P27-billion na hindi alam ng Secretary of DILG na nandudoon. Ano ang gagawin namin? We will turn a blind eye? No. We amended, we realigned that, but we realigned during the time that we can realign.

Q: Before ratification?

SP Sotto: Before ratification. The point is, my point is, after ratification, I will certify to the correctness and the accuracy of the budget. How can I do that when they changed it?

Q: I understand where you are coming from. Here is the question, again, just to be clear, ang sinasabi nila, nag-itemize lang naman kami, to which you are saying, no, nag-realign kayo.

SP Sotto: Oo. Nag-itemize sila ng kanilang mga pondo na nilalagay.

Q: What is the motive behind it?

SP Sotto: I don't know, your guess is as good as mine.

Q: Some people are saying because it's the campaign season. Is it?

SP Sotto: Oh yes. That's part of it, I'm sure. It's a major factor. Siguro.

Q: Ano po ang posibleng mangyari? Senator Ping Lacson is saying, ano pwede ba itong mag-re-enacted budget till August?

SP Sotto: Yes, as a matter of fact, if that is what's going to happen, the Secretary of finance has already presented to us the effect on the economic growth if it's passed in August and also if it is not passed at all. If it is re-enacted the entire year. Meron ding percentage na sinabi siya (unclear). Now, it is up to the House, it's in their House now, it's not in our hands because we will resume on May 20. We have only three weeks after that and after that most of them, if not most of the officers, will end their terms. There will be a new Congress that we will be talking to, a new Speaker, new officers, in July.

Q: Can you answer this straight, is it hard to speak to the Speaker? Is it hard to speak to Congressman Andaya? Is it hard to speak to Congressman Castro? Mahirap ba silang kausap?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman, wala naman akong sinasabing mahirap silang kausap, ang sinasabi ko, is hindi kami nagkikita eye to eye. Hindi kami nagtutugma eye to eye, at yung sinasabi nila sa amin ay hindi namin matanggap.

Q: I asked that because my understanding is sa susunod na Congress, tapos na po ang term ni Speaker, tapos na rin ang term ni Congressman Andaya, kaya po tayo napunta doon, dahil there will be a new set of leaders. Are you hoping that you will see eye to eye or they might be easier to speak to, ganun po ba yun?

SP Sotto: Well, most probably, because bagong upo sila, siyempre magiging very courteous, magiging cordial, or perhaps ika nga ay magkakaroon ng impluwensiya ang Pangulo sa leadership na yan.

Q: Meron pong lumalabas na anggulo na personal vendetta daw ito ni Senator Lacson kay Speaker Arroyo...

SP Sotto: No I don't think so, not at all. As a matter of fact, nasasabi na lang yun because that is the consequence. Hindi naman namin problema si Speaker, ang problema namin, yung mga nakapaligid sa kanya.

Q: Sino?

SP Sotto: Yung mga may hawak ng budget.

Q: Which is Congressman Andaya?

SP Sotto: Probably, and the members of the Committee on Appropriations that are doing this, because consequence yung kay Speaker Arroyo because yun din ang mangyayari sa akin. If I sign that, I will be violating the revised penal code Section 170, which is falsification of legislative documents punishable by a penalty of prision correctional to its maximum term. Ayoko naman nun, not mentioning the fact that it's unconstitutional.

Q: The other opinion is when you sign it and SGMA signs it, pwede naman daw po itong Kuwestiyunin sa Supreme Court? Maaari po bang humantong pa doon?

SP Sotto: Paano pa aabot doon kung isusugal ko yung sarili ko na baka mademanda ako? Hindi ko matatanggap, pipirmahan ko yun na alam kong may mali? Hindi pwede. Hindi namin pinasa yun eh. That is not what we ratified, how can I agree to something that we did not do?

Q: Moving forward, paano po kaya hintay muna kayo sa House?

SP Sotto: Pinakamaganda yung usapan kahapon. Yesterday there was a new development. Senator Ping Lacson had a talk with Congressman Ronnie Zamora. They had a long talk and the suggestion was that again, recall the submitted GAB to us and from there we could probably amend or let the President veto that portion, then we can convene kahit one day a special session and pass a joint resolution approving a supplemental budget for that particular ilang percent na yun, or 3 percent na portion ng budget.

Q: You are talking about the P96-billion?

SP Sotto: I think it's more than that. Yun lang yung alam namin na nakita namin.

Q: Ano po ang pwedeng mangyari, pwede kayong magkaroon ng special session, when?

SP Sotto: Right after the President signs it. Kung magkakasundo nga, alisin yung sinasabi, pipirmahan ko, ipapadala namin sa Presidente, ang gagawin ng Presidente, heto, lump sum ito, veto ko. Yung vineto niya, hindi naman mawawala yun, it will remain there and therefore we can convene into a special session, and address that particular portion of the budget.

Q: Yun yung supplemental budget na sinasabi ninyo?

SP Sotto: Yes, pwedeng magpasa kami ng supplemental budget.

Q: When will this be?

SP Sotto: As soon as possible, as soon as the President signs it or vetoes any portion of the budget. They can do that and then nakaupo pa sila hanggang June 30. Sa palagay ko dapat tanggapin na nila yung suggestion namin, sapagkat after June 30, iba na ang taong kausap namin.

On the water problem.

Q: How do you see it? Water problem, water shortage or crisis?

SP Sotto: I filed a resolution yesterday and as a matter of fact, I called Senator Grace Poe, who is the chairman of the Committee on Public Services, because that is the committee that should handle it. We want to know what's wrong. What went wrong, what's going on, and how did this happen? How it should not ever happen again. And then siyempre meron din akong, bagong senador pa lang ako, kasabay ko si Freddie Webb, sinasabi na namin nung araw, mag-desalination plan na tayo. Bakit ang Saudi Arabia, ang mga Middle East countries, ang lakas ng tubig? Napakaraming tubig? Tayo napaliligiran ng tubig eh ginawa nila, nag-desalination sila, mag-desalinate tayo rito kahit na mahal. Ang sinasagot kasi, siguradong mahal kasi, mahal mas marami tayong pinagkakagastusan na kung anu-anong kabulastugan?

Q: We are talking about a resolution that Senator Grace that said an investigation is going to be on Tuesday, papaano ngayon? What can be done now, what should government do now? What can senators do now prior to the hearing on Tuesday?

SP Sotto: Ang totoo niyan, ang Executive Department ang talagang dapat sumipa dito ng husto, but kami tumutulong lang para maresolve ito at wag ng maulit. That's what we can do at present. As far as the present situation is concerned, I think the Executive Department has more chances of trying to resolve it.

Q: But who? DA, MWSS?

SP Sotto: Kung anu-anong departamento ang involved dito. Maraming involved dito, pati DOH nagiging involved.

Q: How serious of a concern is this for you?

SP Sotto: It's very serious. Mawalan na ng kuryente ang buong Pilipinas, which we feel na napakahirap, di ba? Pinaguusapan na nga yung kung anu-anong power plants, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant gustong buksan, pero water? That's the worst. The most important is water, water is life.

On the 16 year old victim in Cebu.

Q: Nagtrending po yung death penalty a few days ago, ano po ang chances nito?

SP Sotto: Yes, I already filed that, and I was the original author of the reimposition of the death penalty during the 9th and the 10th Congress, this time I was really concentrating on the high-level drug trafficking but with witnessing heinous crimes like this, talagang alam mo galit yung mga kababayan natin. Majority of our people want the death penalty back for heinous crimes. Now, it's Senator Pacquiao and I who are sponsoring it in the Senate. Hindi ako makabilang ng 13 sa ngayon na in favor, I am not sure about the others. Pero the way things are happening, marami ng pumapayag sa mga kasama namin. But then again we have three weeks to go, we resume in May, may tyamba, pwedeng makalusot, but if not, then during the elections, the electorate, I suggest you vote for senators who are in favor, because the House passed it already. They passed it already, sa Senate ang natatagalan. If they are in favor of the death penalty, vote for senators who are in favor of the death penalty. If you are not in favor of the death penalty, the vote for candidates who are not in favor.

Q: Are you in favor now of including yung ganito po ang nangyari sa 16 year old?

SP Sotto: Heinous crime. Rape and murder dapat. High level drug trafficking lang ako dati, pero ito, rape and murder, dapat talaga isama. It's not kailangan gamitin natin all the time, hindi naman ganun. There are safeguards. This will be a defense mechanism of the government. Dapat naka-amba tayo na meron kaming death penalty. Look, around Southeast Asia, around Asia, tayo lang ang walang death penalty. Ang Indonesia, hindi sila nagpoproduce ng droga doon, dito ginagawa sa atin kasi sa kanila may death penalty. Singapore, Malaysia, China, lahat may death penalty, tayo wala. Nagsisiksikan yung mga criminal na drug syndicates dito sa atin.

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