Senate President Vicente Sotto at the Senate Session. INQUIRER file photo /
EDWIN BACASMAS
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has claimed that Leyte Representative Vicente Veloso is misinformed when the congressman said that 100 House members would campaign against anti-federalism senators seeking reelection in 2019.
“Rep. Veloso is getting ahead of himself by taunting the senators based on information that is without basis and common sense,” Sotto said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Can Rep. Veloso openly say who are the senators against federalism? He is misinformed,” Sotto added.
In a press briefing on Monday, Veloso said that they will be conducting this campaign because Senate, or some senators for that matter, have not cooperated with the House of Representatives.
“Since the Senate has refused to cooperate with us, we will be really campaigning against these (reelectionist) senators who, in effect, are saying that ‘you will be poorer than the poorest regions in the Philippines,’” Veloso said.
READ: 100 House members to campaign vs antifederalism senators—Veloso
However, Sotto assured the public that Senate has been working on the proposed shift to a federal government, which is one of the current administration’s priority projects.
“While there are some senators who have expressed their apprehensions about taking up the proposed shift to federalism before the May 2019 elections, the Senate has not abandoned this effort,” the Senate President said.
“As far as the Senate is concerned, any discussion regarding Charter Change should begin with a determination of the mode of amending the Constitution, whether through ConAss or ConCon,” he added.
According to him, there will be a right time to address the issues.
“The Senate has agreed to allow the committee on constitutional amendments and revisions of codes to continue its hearings on the various proposals on Charter Change and to take up its recommendations in plenary at the proper time,” Sotto noted. /jpv