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

Q: Alin sa mga hinihingi ni Presidente na maipasang measures sa SONA ang doable?

SP Sotto: Syempre as far as commitment is concerned, syempre ang isasagot namin on behalf of the Senate, we'll try our best to accommodate all. Syempre ang sagot eh, pipilitin namin lahat yan pero to be realistic about it because of the time element involved, from Aug to June 2021, we will probably have to break it down in 3 quarters. First quarter between Aug, Sept., Oct; then Nov. Dec. Jan; and then Feb, March, April all the way to May. May mga breaks in Dec. so bale, Feb. March April and then May. Doon sa 3 quarters na yun, we will prioritize as much as possible and easily prioritized those that are already pending in the Senate or Senate bills that are included in the list of the President, like for example yung the Department of OFW, the national housing development bill, the national rental subsidy, ito mga ito palagay ko hindi kami mahihirapan, the Advanced Nursing Education Act. And then yung Department of Disaster we will also try that but we have to finish also muna the bill on rightsizing. Controversial will be the Land Use Act. It has always been controversial every time we take it up. We've taken it up in 2 Congresses already so again, best effort yan and then the Coco Levy, the Boracay Island Authority, mga palagay ko kayang kaya namin yan kasi doon sa amin ang priorities na Senate na nakapaloob na on second reading yung laman bale nung mga economic stimulus packages, like yung CITIRA which is now called ARISE tapos yung Expanded Solo Parents Act, Coco Levy, and then the Medical Scholarship Act, ito mga priorities namin Department of Disaster and then the Public Service Act and then Agrarian and Agricultural Credit Condonation Act. In other words, sa madaling salita, bottom line, syempre may kasamang kaunting yabang sasagot kami na pipilitin namin na maipasa lahat ng gusto ng Presidente pero in reality, yung mga binanggit ko, those are the ones that stand a good chance in being passed in the next three quarters of the 2nd Regular Session of the 18th Congress.

Q: Hindi kasama yung death penalty?

SP Sotto: Yun palagay ko, will have to go into a consensus. Pakiramdaman muna namin kasi baka maging useless puro kami debate eh. Ang haba ng debate namin nung 1993 dyan eh, ilang taon eh. Baka humaba ang debate namin pagkatapos we don't have the numbers. Palagay ko mas maganda i-caucus muna namin and then we go into the debates and then I have been quoted to have said that it stands a better chance now because the President himself endorsed it but limited to the crimes in the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which is the Republic Act 9165. Ang ibig sabihin nun confined sa drug trafficking which is my proposal and then have even limited it to high-level drug trafficking hindi na yung entirely laman on crimes ng 9165. Palagay ko mas madaling pakipag-usapan sa mga kasama namin yun pagka doon talaga, confined doon lamang.

Q: With the endorsement of the President and limit the death penalty sa drug trafficking, do you think may mga anti-death penalty na mag change ng mind?

SP Sotto: Kung naka, as I've said, yes, if it's confined to high level drug trafficking, we stand a good chance of having it passed. Otherwise, I'm telling you now, mahihirapan na pagka hindi ganun. And then of course, you very well know already that I have already filed a bill as an alternative to the death penalty bill. Ito yung makaka solve din doon sa issue ng high level drug trafficking ng kahit walang death penalty.

Q: Nagkaroon pa kayo ng chance makausap si Presidente kahapon before or after the SONA?

SP Sotto: Hindi. Nagsulyapan lang kami. Hindi kami nagkausap. Nagkatinginan lang. Social distancing talaga eh. Saka paglabas nya roon dire-direcho kaagad sa chopper.

Q: Hindi ba nagkaroon ng numero dati sa Senate to push for it?

SP Sotto: Hindi eh kasi maraming crime na kasama. I've been involved in the debates on death penalty for so many years. Mag 30 years na, 1992 eh. 1992 nag start na yan eh, 93 debates na kami yan all the way to the passage, re-imposition. Nakita ko yung point nung mga anti-death penalty in about 95% of the crimes. Posible yung mga sinasabi nila. As a matter of fact, tama. Pero pagdating sa high-level drug trafficking, hindi. Doon lang talaga bagay kasi una, in this region of the world at hindi ito na-elaborate ng Presidente kahapon, tayo lang ang walang death penalty pagdating sa drugs. Kaya itong mga drug traffickers at saka itong mga manufacturers, paboriting lugar ang Pilipinas dahil dito pag nahuli sila, makakapag operate pa sila roon sa loob eh. Hindi sila katulad ng mangyayari sa anila sa China patay, Indonesia patay, Malaysia patay. Halos lahat ah. Singapore lalo na, hanging. May death penalty yung paligid natin, tayo wala. Kaya tayo ang pinupuntahan at dito ang manufacturing. Yun ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit yung high-level drug trafficking lang ang sinasabi ko na pwede. Una sa lahat, walang mahirap na high level drug trafficker, walang mahirap na drug lord so hindi uubra yung sinasabi nilang anti-poor. Pero yung sinasabi nilang anti-poor pwede yun doon sa mga ibang krimen. It's true as far as the other crimes are concerned but not for high level drug trafficking. It doesn't apply. So ang sinasabi ko, ang ibang mga kasama natin na ayaw, we stand a better chance na pumayag sila kung yun confined lang doon sa grupo na yun ng mga criminal.

Q: What about the justice system, pagka high level drug trafficking we can be sure na safe lahat ng ma de death penalty, hindi maa apply yung imperfect justice system natin?

SP Sotto: Una sa lahat, napakadaling ma-identify talaga ng high level drug trafficker eh. Alam natin yun. As a matter of fact, marami ngang nakakulong na high level drug trafficker eh pero nag o operate pa rin under the noses of the officials. But then again, let me ask you the question, name me the country with a perfect justice system, is there one? I don't think there is. So ganun talaga eh. Kaya nga pareho rin yan nung tingin ng ating mga kababayan sa Anti-Terrorism Law dito sa death penalty law. Ang mga iniisip nila, they don't trust the government eh. They don't trust the people who will enforce it. Yun ang problema. It's not the content. It's not the law itself.

Q: Just in case, ma push sa committee hearing, Sen. Gordon said willing sya i hold yung first hearing and then ibigay na nya sa iba for a subcommittee, are you amenable to that?

SP Sotto: Yes we discussed that already before. In the last Congress napag-usapan na namin nila Sen. Gordon yun na we can assign one or 2 of us to sponsor the bill, from his committee, committee on justice.

Q: You have a bill po ba on death penalty?

SP Sotto: Yes for high level drug trafficking. I filed it last Congress. I filed it again this Congress. There are I think 3 or 4 other senators who have filed.

Q: General comment sa SONA ni Pangulo, malabnaw daw master plan pagdating sa Covid-19; he called out Sen. Drilon twice, how did you feel about it being a colleague?

SP Sotto: At first I expected more on the Covid issue. I really expected that. A few days ago I was thinking nun tinatanong ako I was thinking na dapat ito siguro he's going to come up with figures, exact figures mga ganito ganyan. But then during the time that he was already there and he was speaking, it dawned on me na hindi nya kailangan sabihin sapagkat halos araw araw nirereport ng AITF yan through the spokesperson or through DOH. Araw araw eh. So magiging redundant yun dib a? pwede naman namin makuha yung exact figures at the proper time na magkakaroon kami ng pag-uusap dito. By the way Senate Bill No. 495, yung Senate Bill ko on the death penalty. Kaya, yung sinasabi na malabnaw na dapat napadiin sya sa Covid, kung tutuusin, parang yung issue dun sa sinasabi kay Sen. Drilon at saka dun sa death penalty, parang wala doon sa SONA, parang hindi akma doon sa SONA. Yun ang sinasabi ng iba di ba? Hindi akma na uubos sya ng oras doon ide detalye nya sa atin yun eh nakalahad na yan at almost every day meron tayong update. That's one. The other is, ang sabihin kasi nung iba naririnig ko rin, ano mga plano, ano mga programa, dapat yan may mga programa para sa Covid. Andyan na lahat eh. Bakit? Ang mass testing na tinatawag or napakaraming testing, marami ng testing centers na naka established, nakatayo both private and public. May mga isolation beds na napakarami na hindi na o occupy. Nag re research ang mga experts. Ano pa? Ano pa ang pwede natin gawin? Kasama na rin doon yung mga laman ng Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2, pati na order at policies ng AIFT na dapat social distancing, wearing a mask and all that. Ano pa sasabihin ng Presidente eh nandyadyan na lahat yan in place na. So it dawned on me that it wasn't necessary so why expect it dib a? Yun ang dating sa akin. Ngayon doon sa issue ni Sen. Drilon, malaki na si Sen. Drilon he knows how to defend himself. I don't think we will need to speak for him. He will know how to answer the allegations against him period.

On PRRD's statement on being inutil on WPS.

SP Sotto: Ang understanding ko dun sa sinsabing inutil as far as the West Philippine Sea is concerned Kung magkakaroon ng labanan ako ganun ang intindi ko sa sinsabi niya. Wala talaga naman tayong ibubuga ehkaya dapat we should be friendly with our neighbors, ganun ang dating sa kanya yun and he was not probably able to express it well pero sa akin ganuna ng dating kase, parang may kapitbahay tayo na meron armalite at saka Granada, tapos tayo ang gamit natinsa bahay natin tirador, ganun yun eh talagang he probably used the word inutil, the English inutil, kase yung tagalog inutil ang sama ng dating diba, ang sama ng dating sa atin nun, pero yung english na inutil is just saying, I can't do something about it at the moment parang ganun eh. hindi ganun kalala sa tagalog kung tutuusin at syempre depende sa assessment mo, depende kase sa perspective mo sa sinasabi ng President . One thing is for sure, delivering a formal address really is not one of the strengths of the President, he is more adapt and very convincing when it comes to speaking extemporaneously kaya siguro hindi masyadong nabibgyan ng emphasis sa tao yung mga sinsabi niya.

On whether he is confident that the President is really fighting for the rights of the country on territorial waters?

Sp Sotto: Of course, of course. The number one alter ego of the President as far as this issue is concerned is Sec. Teddy Boy Locsin and Sec Locsin will not allow us to be trampled upon by anyone, not even China or the United States or any other country. kaya I am confident that we will stand our ground as far as the issue of the WPS or South China Sea is concerned lalo na lately na naglabas ng statement ang US backing up our position, backing up the position of the DFA. Okay na yun that is good enough.

On Death Penalty issue who he thinks can handle the discussion aside from Sen. Gordon.

SP Sotto: Mahirap mag-buhat ng bangko eh. Ang sagot dun ay ako eh (laughs). eh pinagsamahan naming yan eh, yan yung walang kamatayan na death penalty, 1992, 93, 94, 95 ang haba ng debate namin diyan ang mga nag interpelate sa akin diyan, Si Orly Mercado, Si Kit Tatad. I suggest ah, sa inyo at saka sa amga kaibigan natin mga kababayan natin, research the journal of the Senate, when Sen. Boy Herrera and I sponsored the death penalty and the interpellations that succeeded. Ang mga nag interpellate sa akin diyan ay hindi basta basta. Neptali Gonzales, Turing Tolentino, Kit Tatad, Blast Ople, Joey Lina, Bert Romulo, Bobby Tanada, ahh sino pa ba yung ang lalakas ng kontra, si Nina Rasul and even Letty Shahani, easily mga 10, 11 ang mga nag interpellate sa amin ni Boy Herrera, kasama rin si Boy Herrera kase may ibang crime na ipinasok sila Boy Herrera, pero dun sa issue ng drug trafficking ako nag sponsor. I think we were able to convince a few of them and that is the reason we were able to pass it, and you can look into the journal, you can see how many voted against, another one is Ernesto Maceda, manong ernie Maceda interpellated me for very, very long time so many hours, for so many days and he voted against it, Turing Tolentino voted against it, I remember those who voted against it, Bobby Tanada. Siguro mga lima, anim yan but the other we were able to convince them like Blast Ople, Bert Romulo, I don't recall the vote of Orly Mercado but... Tito Guingona also interpellated me. So yung mga debates at mga kontra diya nadinig ko na lahat and I have to admit nakukumbinse ako nung iba kaya sinsabi ko nga I confine na natin sa high-level drug trafficking, kase yung mga sinsabi nugn mga anti-death penalty for the other crimes is true. Tama sila, doon sa mga punto na iba na yun. But then if it's going to be confined to drug trafficking lang, I'll be willing to sponsor if they want me to. Perhaps I can be also aided by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Manny Pacquiao is also one of the authors. Sen. Lacson, Sen. Dela Rosa.

On whether he is willing volunteer to sponsoring the bill if it is confined to high level-drug trafficking.

SP Sotto: Yes.

You're volunteering?

SP Sotto: No, I will make myself available. Iba yung volunteer sa ano eh, I will make myself available if the committee or the members of the Senate wish. I will make myself available only if it is confined to high-level drug trafficking. Not just drug-trafficking. Drug trafficking can be in many forms, maraming masasagasaan dun na mga low-level o mga street pusher and I am not supportive as far as that is concerned.

On what will he do if other sponsors will push for the inclusion of other crimes.

SP Sotto: I'm sorry to say I don't think we will be able to pass it, kapag ganun.

You will not also support it kapag may kasamang other crimes?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman.

What is his headcount based on the current composition of the Senate.

SP Sotto: Sa ngayon tingin ko mga 50-50. Eh meron isang hindi makakaboto, so hindi natin masabi, very difficult. But high-level drug trafficking we stand a good chance of getting 13 votes minimum.

On whether he will impose party-line...

SP Sotto: Hindi siguro. Usually when it comes to issues like that the political parties don't really crack the whip. Ibang klase, basta mga political issues yes usually the political parties crack the whip, but in something as controversial as this, I doubt it.

On whether he agrees with Sen. Gordon's position on the need to void the international treaty which the Philippines signed against the reimposition of the death penalty first, before passing the measure.

SP Sotto: When was that treaty?

One in 1986 and one in 2007 international covenant in civil and political rights.

SP Sotto: Hindi. Kung yung 1986 wala na yun because we passed the reimposition the death penalty in the early 90s so iba yun. As a matter of fact , we were able to hurdle the issue of a compelling reason, because yun ang hinihingi sa constitution noon eh, there must be a compelling reason for Congress to reimpose the death penalty and the penalty should not be inhumane. Yung death penalty noong ipinasa namin in the early 90s, it withstood the criticism and the issues raised to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court agreed that there was compelling reason and that the penalty of lethal injection is not inhumane. It is the most humane way of meting out the death penalty. Kasama na rin sa mga debate namin nung araw yan. Na kaya nga importante yun, there must be a compelling reason and it must be humane or not inhumane. Nakalusot sa Supreme Court yun noong araw yung mga issues na yun. It was decided already during that time. Kase may mga nag question na din naman sa Supreme Court nung panahon namin eh.

On whether he was an incumbent Senator when the death penalty was repealed.

SP Sotto: 1992 senador ako hanggang 2004. Nung 2004 to 2010 hindi ako senador. 2007 yan na repeal, kung senador ako nun hindi narepeal yun. I'm not kidding, that is true. if I were here hindi na repeal yun. Dahil yung batas siguradong mababakol yung batas na mag-repeal eh.

On whether Congress need not to repeal the international treaty?

SP Sotto: I don't think it applies as far as this is concerned but let me make as study into the matter. I'll study that it's good that you mentioned it pag-aaralan ko kung may implikasyon. Kase nga maganda ang position ko dito eh, ako yung nasa neutral perspective na ngayon. As far as this issue is concerned, but I was a very strong advocate of the death penalty, but now I am in the center, kaya pag-aaralan ko yung sinasabi mo na if the 2007 treaty applies or not.

Q: We have known you as a pro-life advocate. Hindi ba ito magiging contradiction doon sa (unclear) ninyo sa death penalty?

SP Sotto: Maganda yan, natanong mo kasi natanong na rin yan sa akin nung araw. I am pro-life for the unborn but I am not pro-life for heinous criminals.

Q: Walang contradiction doon?

SP Sotto: Meron akong dividing line. Pagdating sa mga heinous criminals hindi ako naaawa at wala akong pagtingin ika nga.

Q: As a colleague, ano ang naramdaman ninyo kahapon nung nakaupo kayo sa likod ni Presidente, the first three minutes si Drilon na (unclear)?

SP Sotto: Hinihintay ko yung text sa akin ni Frank. Hinihintay kong itext ako ni Frank. Hindi naman niya ako inistorbo, wala, syempre naisip ko lang, ang naisip ko nung sinabi niya yun, palagay ko napersonal, ang feeling ni Presidente pinersonal siya. Ganoon ang dating sa akin. Siguro naoffend siya sa sinabi ni Frank, lalo na nung nabanggit yung mga anak. Yun ang naramdamanan ko.

Q: This afternoon si Sen. Zubiri pa rin ang magprepreside as Majority Leader?

SP Sotto: yeah pero he might be virtual, I am not sure.

Q: Nag disinfect sa session hall dahil nagpositive si Sen. Zubiri?

SP Sotto: Oo. Yes, araw-araw naman. At saka he is negative. Lumalabas na negative siya. Yung natagpuan dito kahapon, remnants nung dati niyang positive, a different type of antibody.

Q: Nothing to worry yung mga naka lunch niya, sila Sen. Binay, si Win Gatchalian nag self-quarantine po ulit.

SP Sotto: Oo, pero okay na rin yun kung mag self-quarantine pero kasi as of yesterday noong nalaman nga na ganoon, the best thing to do was to go on self-quarantine para sigurado kasi sila yung exposed. Sabi nung mga doctors dito, kami daw na mga nakasama, naka mask naman kami, hindi naman kami nagyayakapan or hindi kami nagtagal na magkakalapit masyado. Sila lang ni Sen. Frank ang bulungan ng bulungan, pero naka mask naman. So sabi nung mga doctor, hindi yun ang mga danger. Ang danger is yung nagtanggalan ng mask at naguusap. Yun ang merong danger, hindi naman sinabing sigurado. So yun na lang muna ang mag self-quarantine sa amin, pero nung gabi, nung nalaman na negative si Sen. Zubiri, okay na. Wala na yun, it is up to the person na lang if he wants to go on self-quarantine or not. Okay naman yung stay home naman, di ba?

Q: Doon sa class picture ninyo na nag alis kayo ng mask, magkatabi kayo ni Sen. Zubiri.

SP Sotto: Mabilis lang yun. Sabi nga namin, mabilisan ha? Pagkatapos walang magsasalita, okay, go! Sabi ko doon sa mga photographer. Tapos pak, suot agad. Wala, hindi makakalusot ang virus doon.

Q: Ngayong hapon iaapprove third reading yung Bayanihan 2?

SP Sotto: Yes, oo. Scheduled ngayon tapos maraming referral, yung importante kasi katulad nung mga investigation, yung ang mga referral.

Q: So voting na lang ang mangyayari sa Bayanihan 2?

SP Sotto: Voting, yes, voting.

Q: Yung scheduling ng PhilHealth, August 3 na ba talaga?

SP Sotto: Pinaka latest ko siguro August 4 pagka yung talagang inapprove namin mamaya yung resolution. If we approve the resolution later or at the latest tomorrow, the earliest possible we could call it if it is tomorrow, the earliest would be Monday or Tuesday. Depende alin sa dalawa.

Q: Any time next week?

SP Sotto: Oo, any time next week. Early next week for sure, kasi huwag nating patagalin at nauubos ang pera ng bayan.

Q: Ilan yung physically present today sa inyong session?

SP Sotto: Hindi ko pa alam. I don't knw pero we can find kung sino-sino ang mga narito sa building. Basta nasa building, siguradong aattend at three o'clock. Hindi ninyo ba tatanungin yung sa mga telcos? Pag tinanong ninyo ako, isa sa tingin kong highlight doon sa SONA ng Presidente, ako, sa akin, yung mga telcos. Bakit kamo? They should shapeup a ung sinabi ng Presidente, ano ba sinabi niya, itatake-over? Ipapasara? Noong araw, merong government telecom service, nung 60s, baka hindi pa kayo pinapanganak. Anyway, kailangan talaga. They have to shapeup. If I were in their shoes, I will take it seriously, what the President said. Tingnan ninyo ang stats, nakakahiya yung nangyayari sa atin. I have mentioned in my speech, earlier in the Senate, na we must be very updated in the digital landscape. And then para sa mga younger generation natin, the importance of distance learning. Lahat ito can only be achieved through the internet. Now, how are we doing with the internet with these two major companies in play? Ito, bakit napaka sama ng signal ninyo? Bakit napaka sama ng signal natin? Bakit hindi sasama ang signal natin, meron tayong population na 100 million, 75vmillion ang users ng internet, ng mga cell sites. You know how many cell sites we have? We have 18.000 cell sites, naghahati pa yung Smart at Globe doon, nagshashare pa sila. While a country like Indonesia, with a population of 200 million, they have 132 million users ng internet. Ang cell sites nila, 91,700. 91,700 cell sites. Nakita ninyo ang diperensiya, tapos sa tin 18,000 lang eh mas kaunti tayo? Mas kaunti na ag tao natin, mas kaunti pa ang gumagamit ng mga cell phone at internet, pero ganyan. So talaga it is about time they shapeup. Hindi pwedeng puro income. Lalo na the digital landscape and the distance learning is very important now. Kaya I was very glad that the President mentioned that. Matinding problema yan. If I were in the shoes of the telcos, I will really shapeup because (unclear) maraming pwedeng gawin, maraming pwedeng gawin ang gobyerno, baka hindi nila alam o baka hindi nila naalala. Una, we can revoke their franchise. Pag sinabi ng Presidente na irevoke yung franchise niyan, mabilis na mabilis sa Kongreso yan. Patay na kaagad yun and then we can have other investors take over pagka ganyan.

Q: Doon sa hearing ng public services committee, sinasabi ng mga executives ng telcos na ang problem nila yung bureaucratic red tape, tapos ang tagal, pnapa-balik balik sila kaya hindi sila makapag construct ng mabilisan.

SP Sotto: Aba'y ireport ninyo sa amin o ireport ninyo kay Presidente sapagkat kaya nga namin pinasa yung Ease of Doing Business eh. There is now a law on the ease of doing business na inalis nga yung 24 to 25 na pipirmahan, lima na lang ngayon. Ano yung sinasabi nila? Bakit, nanghihingi yung barangay captain? Isumbong ninyo. Isumbong mo sa DILG, nanghihingi pala yung barangay captain eh. Di matulin pa sa alas kuwatro magbigay ng permit sa iyo yan. Di ba hindi magandang dahilan yun because we can do something about it, mga bureaucratic red tape because if there is bureaucratic red tape ay hindi mo na gagawin? Walang kwentang palusot yun. Sinasabi nga ni Presidente, sabihin mo sa akin kung sino yung humihingi, sampalin ko. Di ba yun ang sinasabi niya? Ang dali niyan, isumbong ninyo. Merong taga NEDA na nanghihingi? Merong taga DILG na nanghihingi? Sabihin ninyo. Hindi pwede sabihin huwag na lang tayo maglagay kasi nanghihingi. Pagka ganoon, sige palitan na namin kayo.

Q: (Unclear) yung pananakot ni Presidente para nagpressure doon sa Globe and Smart, na ipagamit yung mga facilities like para doon sa third telco?

SP Sotto: Hindi, dapat magdagdag ng facilities. Dapat magdagdag ng cell sites, hindi para ipagamit sa third telco. Meron ng batas na dapat pwedeng pagamit sa third telco yun, hindi na kailangan ng permiso nila, so hindi totoo yun. Ang importante magtayo sila ng iba, magtayo sila ng high quality, better quality, more cell sites.

Q: Hindi kaya magkaroon ng negative effects ito sa business confidence? Yung mga ganitong statements ni Presidente?

SP Sotto: Doon sa mga current na businesses na yun, tama magkakaroon ng negative dahil kakabahan sila, pero doon sa iba na nag aabang lang, nag aabang lang ang mga iba para makapasok. Business is business, pagkakakitaan ng malaki, walang matatakot sa ganyan. Pag merong opportunity, papasok sila, ganoon yun. Bakit ka matatakot sa gobyerno kung kumpleto naman ang gagawin mo at maayos naman ang gagawin mo? Kasi kung takot ka sa gobyerno, eh di huwag, huwag ka magtayo, hindi ba?