Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III

On the committee chairmanships.

SP Sotto: Well, Senator Lacson is willing to relinquish the chairmanship. Meron kasi kaming tradition dito sa Senate that yung dating chairman, or yung incumbent chairman, meron tayong tinatawag na equity (unclear) so nasa kanila yan unless they would want to give up their committee, we will most probably elect the same chairman for the same committee.

Q: Pero kung kanino niya gustong iwanan, sa kanya na yun o pagbobotohan pa ng majority?

SP Sotto: Lahat bobotohan. Pagdating ng July 22, when we convene for the 18th Congress, aside from the resolutions that we will be passing, most probably we will elect or re-elect the officers, that is the SOP.

Q: Pero nag-express ng desire si Senator Dela Rosa na gusto niya yung public order?

SP Sotto: I think so.

Q: He asked for it?

SP Sotto: Not exactly asked for it, but he was interested.

Q: Si Tolentino?

SP Sotto: Marami pang pinag-uusapan, medyo hindi pa malinaw.

Q: Pero nagsabi na siya kung anong committee?

SP Sotto: Meron. Pero yung nababanggit kasi nung mga kasama namin at saka nitong mga incoming senators, yung nababanggit, merong kasalukuyang chair so kailangang ithresh-out muna namin, we do not want to step on anyone's toes. Siguro ang pinaka-maganda ng magagawa namin is I will call for a meeting of the new group. The new Senate, the 18th Congress Senate.

Q: After the proclamation?

SP Sotto: After the proclamation. A few days after the proclamation. If possible, even before the break para in town pa yung ibang members namin.

Q: Yung malalaking committee like public order, hindi ba masyadong neophyte yung kagaya ni Bato Dela Rosa to chair it?

SP Sotto: Kasi kung yung topic o laman ng committee ay grasp niya, if he has a very good grasp of the committee, it does not matter if you are a (unclear) or not.

Q: Wala pong conflict of interest?

SP Sotto: Hindi. This is a completely different Congress. It's the 18th Congress, lahat nung mga naging committee reports, hearings at whatever in the 17th Congress, balik lahat sa square one or burado na, wala na lahat yun.

Q: What about the committee on health? Sure na kay Bong Go?

SP Sotto: Pinaguusapan pa, Bong Go has expressed his wish already to...mas madali ng kaunti yun kasi bakante talaga, kung hindi mapoproclaim si Senator JV.

Q: Education daw po maraming interesado?

SP Sotto: Oo, tatlo.

Q: Senator Pia?

SP Sotto: Dalawang luma, isang bago. Ang hirap pagusapan yung tungkol sa committee chairmanship at this point kasi I'd rather na nagkausap-usap na kami, before we announce kung ano ang mga possibilities. Everything is speculation except those that are malinaw na like in the case of Senator Lacson and Senator Dela Rosa, yung public order and then yung health na mababakante so walang problema.

Q: Sa minority bloc, magaaply din yung equity of the incumbent?

SP Sotto: Doon sa minority bloc, nasa kamay majority yan. Alam naman nilang ganun yun.

Q: Ilan kaya ang matitira for the minority?

SP Sotto: Marami-rami because there are more than 40 committees, we are only 24 and there are two or three senators who do not have a committee.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Depende. Tingnan natin.

Q: Kayo pong tatlo?

SP Sotto: Depende, tingnan natin. SP, Pro-tempore...and then may bago pang addition, baka si Senator Lacson parang ayaw mag-committee. Hindi, we have to retain, I suggest that we retain Senator Lacson on committee on accounts.

Q: Bakit ayaw niya mag-committee?

SP Sotto: Mas gusto niya mag-interpellate.

Q: Baka gusto niya mag Pro-Temp?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman, si Ralph remain as Pro-Tempore.