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

On the decision of the House leadership to have a new schedule on the approval and transmittal of the budget deliberation for 2021.

SP Sotto: Let us place it this way. I am not disappointed on what they want to do or any action or any motion that they would want to do in the House of Representatives. They are completely, ika nga, autonomous as far as their rules are concerned and as far as our rules are concerned. I am not disappointed in that. Kung anuman ang gusto nilang gawin, kung anuman ang aksyon nila na ginagawa. Ang disappointment ko is that the timetable, as far as the Senate is concerned, is going to be very very tight. You see? Iyan ang problema ko na nakikita ko and this is not the problem that is confined to me alone. This is the problem that most of all the chairmen of the sub committees and most particularly the chairman of the senate committee on finance and those who are going to interpellate. Medyo baka mamaya ay umangal sila na hindi pwedeng apurahin. Ganoon kaagad ang naririnig ko. So, you cannot blame me, or blame us, if we say that this is too tight.

On what the scenario will be on the budget approval considering the new schedule given by the House of Representative.

SP Sotto: We are really staring at the possibility of the re-enacted budget. Isang buwan ang delay sa ini expect namin. We are really expecting by the 14th or 15th of October ay mata transmit sa amin already passed on third reading. Dahil diyan sa nag suspend ang House, and then, I was told that they will be passing it on November 16 for third reading, I do not how. Basta sabi nila, sa November 17 daw ita transmit sa amin. Pag inaprub mo ng third reading, ay printing pa iyon. Does it mean that you are going to print before you approve on third reading? Andaming kopya niyan, ang kapal niyan para sa bawat senador may kopya niyan. Perhaps, iyon ang gustong gawin. Magpi printing na sila habang hindi pa sila nagthi-third reading. They will base it on their amendments on their so-called small groups. Na sabi ng isang congressman, na narinig ko sa interview, na meron daw silang kini create na small groups to do the amendments after they have passed it on second reading. Anyway, rules nila iyon, sige, we have nothing to do with their rules, but then, we are staring on their one-month delay as far as the senate is concerned. Kasi kahit may break, kasi suspension lang iyon, tuloy ang mga hearings namin, mga public hearings and deliberations namin. Therefore, pagdating ng November 16 sana, ng resumption ng Senate, nag i-isponsorship na kami. Ganoon ang mangyayari doon. Kung nagso-sponsorship na kami on the 16th, one or two days lang, kasama na ang mga ibang chairmen, and then another three or four days para sa mga ibang senador to review, after the sponsorship, kasi hindi naman pwedeng after the sponsorship naka ready na agad sila, hindi ganoon iyon. Hindi kami ganoon eh. Hindi ganoon ang Senado. Panahon pa ni Salonga hanggang ngayon, hindi ganoon ang Senado. So, ang mangyayari doon, mga last week of November, ang umpisa ng interpellation sa amin. And you've witnessed how long the interpellation in the senate are. All the departments are scrutinized. Di ba? And almost all senators interpellates within the different departments. Expectedly, pinakamabilis niyan ay two weeks sa interpellation. Pinakamabilis na iyan. Ito na iyong wala kaming gagawin ni Migz Zubiri, ika nga pastulin ang mga kasama namin para mag interpellate na kaagad, pag aralan ang mga departamentong sinasabi nila. Pinakamabilis na ang two weeks. So, ano ibig sabihin noon? Ibig sabihin noon, nasa first week of December na matatapos ang interpellations kung mabilis. And then, second week of December, nandoon na iyong mga period of amendments namin. At baka sakali, kung pinakamabilis mabilis nga ay mapasa namin on third reading kung wala masyadong makikitang mga buhol buhol. Paano ngayon ang bicam? Unless tatanggapin agad ng House ang maipapasa namin on third reading. Ibig sabihin ay by Christmas time, tatamaan ng bicam ang Christmas time. So, I am not surprised if Sen. Lacson says that it is already a reenacted budget as far as the timing is concerned. Iyon talaga ang pwedeng mangyari. Unless nga, the best thing there, kung talagang magmamadali ang sitwasyon, kung ano ang third reading namin ay i adapt ng house.

Q: Is it possible that the House of Representative will adapt the Senate version?

SP Sotto: Anything is possible. I doubt it but anything is possible because it is allowed by law kung sabihin nila na i adopt na nila ang Senate version. Iyon lang din naman iyon eh. Aalisin lang naman ng mga kasama ko ang mga ika nga ay hindi kanais nais na kung hindi nakatuon sa pandemic, na kung hindi makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan, hindi fair sa mga distrito or sa mga probinsya. Mga ganoon lang iyon. Other than that, hindi na lalayo masyado... lalo na sa net.

Q: According to Sen. Ping, there is no need for the special session because the session is only suspended and anytime, they could conduct a session.

SP Sotto: There are two schools of thought. Kung sabihin ng president na mag session kayo. Ayaw naming tumawag or ayaw tumawag ng House, because as far as I am concerned, that we were already on, agreement namin, the agreement that we agreed upon kanina, in the commission on appointments. As far as the 12 senators, 12 congressmen, plus the chairmen are concerned, there is no break. Tuloy kami ng Commission on Appointments sa mga plenary sessions and hearings. Daming naka pending na mga National Defense at saka Foreign Relations affairs. Tapos may naka pending pa na cabinet secretary. Hindi naman maba bypass kasi suspended. So, ngayon, kung sinabi nga natin o sinabi ng Presidente na mag convene kayo, tapos ayaw, then a special session, order by the president is necessary. Sabagay, kung tutuusin kami, at saka ang House, kung suspended lang naman, if we have the majority of the members, you can convene anytime.

Q: On NPC's meeting today for the House speakership

SP Sotto: The meeting is ongoing. It's a more or less an assessment of the situation and what 's happening. Iyon ang meeting ngayon. I was not able to join. I sent a video greeting already. A video message because may CA kasi. SA Balete Drive, sa Clubhouse namin ang meeting eh.

Q: On NPC's clear stand on who will they support for the House speakership

SP Sotto: I will know later. But, as far as NPC is concerned, ang pagkakaalam ko, the majority sentiment of the group is kung ano ang sabihin ni Pres. Duterte ay doon sila. Iyon ang sitwasyon. Now, if you ask my personal opinion, I have no opinion at all for that matter. As Senate President and as a co-member of co-equal branch or a co-equal parliamentary courtesy is concerned, hindi kami dapat makialam sa leadership nila.

On the reaction of SP Sotto during the time of Arroyo - Alvarez dispute on the speakership also. This is also during the time of the budget season.

SP Sotto: Correct. Ganoon nga ang nangyari. Kasi iba ang pananaw kasi ng leadership. Kung ang leadership mo ay may iba kang priorities. Pagpalit noog isang lider, naiiba ang priorities. Unless ang papalit ay susundin ang takbo ng dating leadership. Doon hindi magkakaroon ng problema. Usually, it happens in the Senate. Na kapag nagkakaroon ng change of leadership or term of sharing, laging natutupad ang term sharing sa Senado. Siguro para maiwasan iyong ganyan, if you ask my unsolicited advice, dapat at the start of the congress, magbotohan na lang kayo kung sino ang gusto ninyong ibotong speaker. Wala ng mga term sharing, term sharing para walang problemang mga ganoon.

On the possible re-enacted budget, maybe the people will blame the senate on the possible slow-paced passing of the budget.

SP Sotto: Ang magsasabi noon ay ang mga hindi nakakaintindi ng parliamentary procedures, hindi nakakaintindi ng Senado. Hindi ganoon kadali iyon. Ang senate ay never na railroad. Hindi kami nagpapa railroad. Kaya nga time and again, the pundits or the political pundits have called the Senate the last bastion of democracy. Kasi, hindi kami basta basta nadadala. Ganoon talaga ang Senado. Kaya, huwag na huwag nila kaming pagbibintangan. Ibig sabihin noon hindi sila nakakaintindi kapag kami ay pinagbintangan nila na ma de delay ang budget.

Q: Would rather have it re-enacted kesa madaliin kayo?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman sa ganoon. Kundi, mangyayari talaga iyong re-enacted kapag hindi namin matatapos. Hindi kami pwedeng madaliin. Kasi kung madaliin kami, siguradong marami kaming mga blind spots na mangyayari. Ayaw natin iyon. Barya barya na nga lang ang nakakarating sa mga kababayan natin eh. Di ba? Pagkatapos hindi pa namin babantayan.

Q: Kunyari on Nov. 16 or 17 maiakyat sa inyo, basically sabi ni Sen. Angara, one week to prepare kayo so, by Nov. 23, possible po niyang ma sponsor. From Nov. 23 to Dec. 19, kaya ninyo pong tapusin hanggang amendments? Four weeks iyon sakto.

SP Sotto: Four weeks. Alisin mo iyong apat na weekend, hindi naman namin pwedeng puwersahin ang mga empleyado naming na Sabado at Linggo ay pumasok. Di ba? So, alisin mo iyon. Ilang araw iyon. Even if we do it Monday to Friday, five days, you are talking about 20 days. 20 days for interpellations, 20 days for amendments and bicam. Sa bicam pa lang siguradong madugo, kasi ngayon pa lang alam na ng mga kasama naming mga senador kung alin ang babantayan.

Q: What about yung sabi ni Speaker Cayetano daw na willing silang pabilisin yung bicam? Willing ba kayo na pabilisin yung bicam?

SP Sotto: Oo, adopt nila yung version namin, bibilis yung bicam.

Q: Yun lang yung way na bibilis yung bicam?

SP Sotto: Siyempre, dahil wala ng paguusapan. Ngayon, kung may paguusapan sa bicam, magkaka bicam, hindi nila iaadopt yung version ng Senado, hindi ko maisip kung paanong mapapabilis. Baka meron silang technique, tingnan natin.

Q: Additionally, gaano po katagal ang bicam? One week?

SP Sotto: You know how many books there are in a budget? In all the departments? Doon lang sa DPWH, madugong-madugo na, siguradong gagalawin at gagalawin ng Senado yun 100 percent at walang makakapigil sa mga senador na galawin yun. Paano mamadaliin ang bicam? Unless nga tanggapin mo na lang, o tanggapin na lang natin kung ano man yung laman na dumating on either side.

Q: You mentioned a while ago that Speaker Cayetano mentioned creating a small group to finalize yung mga amendments nila. Wouldn't that small group create more delays given that factions in the House will surely raise opposition kung ano man yung maka-craft ng small group? SP Sotto: Hindi ko matandaan kung si Speaker Cayetano nabanggit sa akin yan, hindi yata. Ang tanda ko is I heard it from a Congressman over a radio interview na nagcreate sila ng small group or magke-create sila ng small group para sa after nitong nag second reading sila, ay aayusin nila yung mga amendments nila. Yun ang pagkaka-intindi ko. Unfortunately, yung kausap siguro sa radio, hindi namalayan yung sinabi niyang yun because ang tanong na susunod doon dapat eh bakit ninyo pinasa on second reading, meron pa pala kayong amendments?

Q: Pero the idea alone of creating a small group with very limited members to create more amendments, wouldn't that further delay or create more squabble in the House, further delaying its transmission to the Senate?

SP Sotto: It's possible. Most probably it could, unless kung ano man yung mga amendments na ipasok nila ay they will run through on the 16th pero kung pakikinggan nila yung mga kasama nila at magrereklamo at gustong pag aralan yung ginawang amendments, hindi nila matatapos ng on the 16th lang yan. Unless yun nga hindi nila pakikinggan yung nga ibang kasamahan nila. But you know, itong mga kasamahan naman nila, lalo na may kanya-kanyang partido yan, pwedeng lumapit sa mga senador at ituro at ipoint sa mga senador kung anu-ano yung mga kinukuwestiyon nila, di ba? Laya hindi ganoon kadali yan, I am sorry to say.

Q: Moving forward, what can the Senate or Congress do to avoid this kind of yearly scenario wherein magsa-start yung Senate ng maaga in tackling the budget tapos kayo din yung maiipit sa dulo because of some intramurals in the House?

SP Sotto: Well, the only solution is always to submit on time, that is the only solution because we have no reason for any delay if we got it last week. First week of October ang ideal, October 1 nga ang target lagi ng mga leadership nung nakaraan.

Q: Sen. Angara mentioned in a separate presscon na in previous congresses, nagreresume usually yung break ninyo first week of November. This time around bakit siya napush back to November 16?

SP Sotto: Yun ang hindi ko alam ang sagot. I will think about it, hindi ko matandaan kung bakit. I think it might have something to do with the pandemic, something like that. I am not sure; I really cannot answer that. Better ask Sen. Migz Zubiri.

Q: Kahit magsagawa ng special session, by December for example, hindi na kaya talaga ipasa ang budget? Malabo na po?

SP Sotto: Kung maaadvance ng mga one or two weeks, like for example, first week of November i-third reading tapos ipasa sa amin? Mas malaki ang tsansa noon lalo na kung last week of October, pwede na yun, malakas na ang tsansa noon, pero we were expecting it sabi nga 14th or the 15th.

Q: Kasi November 5 a daw po ang deadline ng mga individual amendments ng mga congressmen, so dapat po ipasa rin ng mas maaga?

SP Sotto: Sana, pero again I'd rather not comment on their procedures. Yung mga nasasabi ko lang is yung mga natatanong ninyo, pero pagka yung mga ganoon, mas maganda hindi kami nagpapakialaman, as far as we are concerned. At the start of our interview, sinabi ko na kaagad sa inyo. I have no problem with their strategy or kung ano man ang gusto nilang gawin, mag suspend or whatever. Ang disappointment ko is the lack of material time given to us.

Q: Kung sakaling mag special session, let's say as is yung schedule nila na maipapasa ng November 16 yung budget, kung mag e-extend pa tayo, magse-special session pa tayo ng December, kailan kaya ang pinaka realistic na maipapasa talaga yung budget?

SP Sotto: Kung sasagasaan namin ang Pasko?

Q: Opo, hanggang bagong taon.

SP Sotto: Baka first week or second week of January.

Q: If that is the case, how long are we going to work on the reenacted budget?

SP Sotto: Just about the same time, one or two weeks pero hindi, magiging mga one-month yan kasi yung DBM at saka DOF medyo marami pang aayusin doon sa enrolled copy yan. Doon pa lang sa printing ng enrolled copy, papunta sa Malacanang, pirma ni Presidente, easily mga two weeks yan.

Q: What does a month of reenacted budget mean po para sa mga kababayan natin?

SP Sotto: Depende. Depende kasi, like for example, marami dito sa 2021 budget nakatuon to alleviate our problems with the pandemic. So medyo baka pag hindi natimplang mabuti, baka mahirap, isa, dalawang buwan na reenacted budget. Baka hindi kaagad makakilos ang Executive Department, unless gawin mo na reenacted budget the whole year. Yun, makakakilos ang Executive Department ng mabuti roon. Sapagkat lahat ng mga dating pondo na nasa 2020, na nagawa na except for personal services, ay pwedeng galawin ng Presidente. Ang Presidente na ang bahala diyan kung saan niya gustong gamitin.

Q: Is that an option? Ire-enact na lang ang buong taon?

SP Sotto: There was a past President who had a penchant for a reenacted budget, and I refuse to name who.

Q: As the Senate President how do you feel na yung budget po naiipit ngayon dahil dito sa leadership problem sa House?

SP Sotto: The word probably would be disappointed because we will be stymied with our work. Sanay pa naman kami ng trabaho ng trabaho, sanay kami ng pukpok ng pukpok tapos biglang pak, wala kayong gagawin muna, hintayin ninyo muna yung third reading ng House at itransmit sa inyo. Kung ako ay walang concern sa mga kababayan natin o sa takbo ng gobyerno, tatawanan ko lang yan, magre-relax na lang ako. Hintay na lang kami kung kailan kayo tapos, pero hindi eh. Trabaho kami ng trabaho, pasok kami ng pasok kahit may pandemic. Hindi naman namin sinisingil sa mga kababayan natin yun kahit pasok kami ng pasok, ginagawa lang namin yun dahil gusto namin. Pero pag bigla kang napigilan, parang kabayong tumatakbo yan, tapos biglang hinarangan ka, teka muna! Huwag muna kayong tumakbo. Talagang you will e disappointed. The natural reaction would be, ha?! Ganoon.

Q: Aside from being disappointed, what are your fears of a delayed budget, and a reconsidered budget or a reenacted budget?

SP Sotto: Look, if delayed budget or reenacted budget, ang totoo niyan, ang pinaka malaking disappointment sa amin, at hindi lang ako mag isa, sa Senado itself, is parang hindi kami nakapag deliver agad, pati sa Executive Department, hindi namin maibigay kaagad yung bala sa Executive Department, para magserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan o sa ating bansa. Yun ang disappointment noon. Other than that, maraming remedyo ang Executive Department kaya kung tutuusin niyan, ang tingin ko, kung alam lang nila ang gagawing strategy diyan, they will not be disappointed with a reenacted budget. Like for example, some of the projects, whether it is a pandemic or not, it will be delayed. Pag delayed ang budget, delayed yung ano. Yung key services will be affected. Yun ang mga masasakit doon, di ba? Delay ng project implementation would mean missed opportunities. Tayo pa naman, merong biro nung araw...lalo na sa unemployed Filipinos, sana maisip naming lahat na hindi lang kami, maisip nating lahat na maraming unemployed Filipinos ngayon. A delayed budget, a reenacted budget...a reenacted budget baka magawan pa ng paraan ang Executive, pero a delayed budget would be missed opportunities. Yun pa naman ang bintang sa atin, kahit na doon sa mga leadership nung araw. Ang bintang ay we never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Ang galing natin sa (unclear).

Q: Yung feeling or fear na nagiging prone to corruption yung reenacted budget because kayang i-maneuver.

SP Sotto: Kung wala kang tiwala doon sa leadership ng Executive Department, dapat kaibahan ka diyan, pwedeng mangyari yan. Pero kung may tiwala ka naman, medyo panatag ang loob mo na hindi magaganoon at saka nandoon pa rin naman kami. Nandiyan pa naman ang Senado, nandiyan pa rin naman ang Kongreso, kaya we will be able to monitor how it is being spent.

Q: So nandoon kayo sa confidence (unclear).

SP Sotto: In (unclear) sa confidence mo sa Executive Department.

Q: Di ba for a number of times, hindi lang yung State of the Nation Address yung parang naging hostage dito sa issue ng speakership, this year nga, budget. Sabi ninyo kanina ayaw ninyo makialam (unclear) interparliamentary courtesy, but whether we like it or not, it affects the entire performance of the two chambers with respect to the budget. Any appeal with the House counterpart?

SP Sotto: I am sorry, I'd rather not. I leave it to the people na lang to see. Nakikita naman nila. I leave it to our countrymen to be able to gauge what is happening to government.

Q: Di ba you have this resolution addressing Sec. Duque, calling for his resignation, this PhilHealth report asking the President to fire the secretary na hindi pa nangyayari. The other day, inelect si Sec. Duque to head the WHO regional committee for Western Pacific. How do you look at this? A vindication of the secretary or what? Does it change your impression of him?

SP Sotto: I hate to say this but in answer to your query, nag imbestiga ba yung WHO? Committee of the Whole ang nag imbestiga. But perhaps his role in that particular WHO is completely different with his role in the Department of Health or in the PhilHealth. So, just give it to him. Congratulations doon, pero as far as the PhilHealth is concerned, and the performance of the DOH is concerned, the Committee of the Whole or majority of the members of the Senate are not satisfied.

Q: How do you feel as a Filipino seeing a government official repeatedly being asked to be fired, and yet he has this international recognition?

SP Sotto: Maraming pwedeng sabihin diyan pero huwag na lang, I'd rather not comment, kasi nangyari din naman sa ibang ano yan, sa mga ibang pulitiko nung araw, bakit nangyari yan, di ba? The last administration, meron ding mga ganyan.

Q: Hindi ba kayo natatakot or naaawa para sa WHO?

SP Sotto: Bakit ano ba ang trabaho doon? Puro virtual yun, ako rin ang chairman ng IPU ng Asia-Pacific region, pinuri ba nila? Nag preside pa ako sa IPU, pinuri ba nila? (Unclear) puro virtual lang yan, hindi ba?

Q: During your conversation with the Speaker, did you mention na pag ganyan ang nangyari, reenacted na budget?

SP Sotto: Sinabi ko, I told him na delikado ito. Pagka masyado kami nadelay, mahihirapan kami, we will not be able to pass it on time, yun ang sabi ko. Kasi, look, there are priorities for 2021. Health, build-build-build program, digital infrastructure because of the distance learning for the students for education, kaya mahalagang-mahalaga na maapura lahat yan. Agriculture and food, pati roon sa yung value chain niya. And then other new normal priorities kung tawagin, madedelay lahat yun, di ba? So hindi nakapagtataka na kabahan kami, nabanggit ko, pero ang sinasabi nila, ang tanda ko na sagot niya is parang bakit daw ganoon, matatapos naman daw nila ng November 16, parang ganoon ang sagot niya, hindi ko alam ang exact words. Sabi ko, ganoon ang ginawa ninyo, hindi ba? Madedelay kami. Mahirap ishepherd ang mga senador, hindi ganoon kadali yun especially when it comes to the budget. Especially when you are talking of implementations of projects for health, build-build-build programs, digital infrastructure, napakahalaga sa mga estudyante natin ngayon yan. Nakita mo nga yung mga nag-aaral? Sumasakay sa jeep, doon nag-aaral sa jeep kasi doon may signal? Hindi ba sila naaawa doon sa mga yun? Nationwide yan. Hindi lang nangyayari yan sa Maynila or sa ibang lugar. Tapos, the 2021 budget will support our recovery in the pandemic, kaya sa amin mahalagang-mahalaga na tapusin natin ito, maibigay kaagad sa Executive Department, ito, para makakilos agad sila. Yun ang punto.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Ang problema nga, nagawa na. This is now water under the bridge, because dapat natanggap namin itong linggo na ito. At the latest is dapat mid-October, natanggap namin so we are crying over spilled milk right now kapag hindi makakarating, nag suspend sila eh. Hindi pa nila tapos.

Q: Although binanggit na ninyo na don't pass judgement doon sa House counterparts, do you share yung view ni Senator Ping na sana mas iniisip na yung panahon na yun, the budget should have been given more importance than mga personal interests sa House?

SP Sotto: Yes, I will share Senator Lacson's thinking as far as that is concerned. Dapat kaming lahat, kaming mga pulitiko dapat ang dapat naming isipin muna yung paano makakarecover sa pandemic yung bansa natin agad. Paano maiaangat kaagad ang ekonomiya, paano kaagad yung mga unemployed natin na mga kababayan natin na magawan agad ng paraan, kesa sa mga sitwasyon namin sa politika. Sana. We can only wish.

Q: Ano ang sabi sa inyo ni Speaker, kasi sabi ninyo dapat bago sila nagsuspend, pinasa na ninyo on third reading. Ano ang sabi sa inyo ni Speaker?

SP Sotto: I am trying to recall pero parang ang sinabi niya is may mga amendments pa sila, parang ganoon. I am not too sure now, pero. Ah, wala raw certification, yun ang isang nabanggit niya. Walang certification ng urgency so they cannot pass it on the same day at saka may mga amendments pa, something to that effect. But then again, if you really want to pass it on third reading, di sa Monday dapat pwede ng i-third reading nila, on October 12, di ba? And then October 13, nagpi-printing na, makakarating sa amin ng October 18.

Q: Wala bang mavi-violate, kasi di ba pag second reading approval, dapat tinapos muna yung period of amendments?

SP Sotto: Oo, usually. Usually after period of amendments, that is when you pass it on second reading, and then kaya nagthi-third reading, para i-review yung laman ng second reading. Corrective na lang yung third reading kaya nga nominal voting pag third reading.

Q: So yung pag accept ninyo sa sinabi ni Speaker Cayetano na o sige, magsu-submit na lang kami sa inyo during the break namin ng mga amendments...

SP Sotto: Hindi sila magsu-submit sa amin. Sila daw, sabi nung isang congressman. Sila ang magsu-submit ng mga amendments nila sa kanila, hindi sa amin.

Q: Okay, so walang na-violate doon (unclear) naapprove ng second reading and then papuntang third reading, saka...

SP Sotto: Hindi ko alam ang rules nila pagdating sa parte na yan. Sa amin, (unclear) sa Senado, I can only speak for the Senate, and in the Senate, before you pass it on second reading, the periods of amendments would have been terminated. Look at what happened with the airport authority, hindi ba? Sinara namin ang period of amendments, hindi namin pinasa ng second reading, kasi meron pa daw magtatanong, before they propose their amendments. So, tinuloy muna namin. Nadelay, nag amendments pa. Nag interpellate pa bago ipropose yung mga amendments, saka namin sinara, and then saka lang namin pinasa on second reading. Tapos na yung mga amendments. Ganoon yung sa Senado. I can only speak for the Senate, I don't know about their rules, kung meron silang ibang sinusunod.

Q: Nung kausap ninyo si Speaker Cayetano, hindi siya apologetic? Ano ung tenor ng conversation ninyo considering na sila yung magiging cause of delay?

SP Sotto: To be very ano, anyway it was a private conversation, but siguro what I can say is that the initial stage ng pag usap namin, parang binabalita niya yung ginawa nila. And then nung may reaction ako, yung reaction niya is parang hindi rin ayon doon sa reaction ko na baka madelay. And then afterwards, after a while naman, he was not really apologetic but was explaining. More or less, ganoon yung takbo ng ano namin, ng conversation.

Q: And the conversation took how long?

SP Sotto: Siguro mga five minutes, a little over five minutes, something like that.

Q: Phone conversation?

SP Sotto: Yes.

Q: When he said may oras naman, mapapasa namin on November 16, di ba ang next question is why did you suspend in the first place? And then in saying that, did you feel na parang nakakainsulto naman (unclear)? What came into your mind, pwede namang sabihin na bakit kayo nag suspend, may gagawin pa pala kayo?

SP Sotto: Hindi. Because of parliamentary courtesy, I did not have the mind to ask him bakit sinuspend. Hindi, I don't think it was proper for me to do that. The question was why, pwede. Bakit? Ano ang nangyari? Hanggang ganoon lang, ibig sabihin...

Q: Or maybe an excuse is o may amendments pala, why not (unclear)?

SP Sotto: Sinabi ko yun, bakit hindi ninyo thinerd-reading? Sana thinerd reading ninyo na para ipasa ninyo na rito. Yun lang, hanggang doon lang yung issue namin tungkol doon at medyo naiba na. Kasi it's about that time also, meron kasing nagrereport sa akin na isa or dalawang members ng NPC, tinatanggal nila sa chairmanship, so I asked him about it.