Sotto hopes next Senate would remain ‘cooperative but independent’

MANILA, Philippines — As he closed the 17th Congress on Tuesday, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III looks forward to a new Senate that would remain “cooperative but independent balanced, transparent and sincere.”

The 18th Congress will open on July 22 with new members elected via the May 13 midterm elections.

“We wish the coming Senate to carry on the task we are passing on to them. Let us remain cooperative but independent, balanced, transparent and sincere,” Sotto said in his valedictory speech.

“And may the divine providence continue to guide the Senate and this nation as a whole and in each of our personal capacities to take its place in the proud member of the family of nations dedicated to peace, freedom and the pursuit of happiness,” he added.

For the past three years, Sotto said the Senate had filed 2, 235 bills and 1, 048 resolutions. And of the bills filed, Sotto said, 464 measures were signed into law.

He then enumerated at least 10 “notable” landmark legislations enacted into law during the 17th Congress:

1. Bangsamoro Organic Law
2. 2. National Identification System
3. Universal Health Care Law
4. Mental Health Act
5. Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
6. Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for PWDs
7. Corporation Code of the Philippines
8. Telecommuting Law
9. Magna Carta of the Poor, and
10. Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programs (4Ps) Act

But more than this, Sotto noted how the Senate asserted its independence as shown in some of the issues that confronted the chamber.

“Firstly, did we preserve the doctrine of separation of the great powers of government –Executive, Legislative and Judiciary? I believe we did,” he said.

“Late last year, in spite of a perceived preference of the Prosecutorial Service and the Courts to serve a warrant of arrest on one of our members, we took the view that the same may not be served while the subject of said warrant was in our castle.”

“We did not prejudge the case in favor of our colleague. We only meant to consider our premises as inviolable while in the discharge of its functions,” Sotto said.

The Senate leader was apparently referring to opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who sought refuge in the Senate in September 2018 amid possible arrest after President Rodrigo Duterte voided the amnesty granted to him in 2011.

READ: Senators give sanctuary to colleague

“Secondly, did we insist on the due process of law especially when it came to legislative enactments? I believe we did,” Sotto said.

The Senate leader then cited as example how the Senate stood pat against the alleged “pork insertions” by the House of Representatives in the 2019 national budget.

READ: Sotto signs 2019 national budget with strong reservations

Sotto also noted how the Senate investigated alleged anomalies and irregularities in government such as the smuggling of multi-billion pesos worth of shabu into the country; election fraud involving Smartmatic; and Metro Manila’s water supply shortage that started in March, among others. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)