Cha-cha’s chances of approval at Senate this year ‘very slim,’ says Sotto

The chances of Charter change (Cha-cha) being approved at the Senate within the year are “very slim,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Wednesday.

“Let me say that perhaps the chances are very slim,” Sotto said in an interview at the Senate.

On Tuesday, senators agreed not to rush the discussion on Cha-cha and rejected a no election (no-el) scenario earlier floated by some members of the House of Representatives.

READ: Senators agree not to rush Cha-cha, reject ‘no-el’

Sotto was tight-lipped when asked if the possibility of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo becoming the first Prime Minister was one reason why the senators were cold on amending the Constitution.

“You know, the senators’ caucus is supposed to be [an] executive session, so I refuse to answer your question,” he said.

“I would have to seek the permission of the entire Senate before I’d be able to answer the question,” the Senate leader added in jest.

When told, however, that Macapagal-Arroyo would not push for no-el, Sotto said, “That’s good if that’s the case because…the entire Senate is not going to support a no-el scenario no matter who the Speaker is.”

Opposition Senator Bam Aquino believes that Arroyo may have to wait longer if she is indeed eyeing to become prime minister.

“Ang nasabi po ni Speaker Arroyo ay hihintayin po niya ang plano ng Senado at palagay ko po, kailangan pa niyang maghintay ng matagal-tagal pa (Speaker Arroyo said she will wait for the Senate’s plan and I think she needs to wait a long time),” Aquino said in a separate interview. /ee