‘It’s equivalent to reclusion perpetua,’ Sotto jokes as senators greet him on 51st wedding anniv

MANILA, Philippines — “It’s equivalent to reclusion perpetua without possibility of parole,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III jokingly said as his colleagues in the upper chamber expressed their greetings on his 51st wedding anniversary with veteran actress and former beauty queen Helen Gamboa.

Before taking up the Senate’s agenda for Tuesday’s plenary session, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri congratulated Sotto on his marriage.

“All of us would like to greet you with a ‘Happy anniversary’ Sir, boss SP (Senate President)…Fifty-one years of marriage, Mabuhay po kayo,” Zubiri told Sotto.

The Senate leader then jested: “It’s equivalent to reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment) without the possibility of parole.”

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also took the opportunity to rib Sotto.

“I’m sure that our Senate President is happily married for 51 years. Now I have to ask Helen if she shares the same view,” Drilon said, which elicited laughter from Sotto and other senators.

Date night

Sotto’s anniversary was also brought up later in the session during the interpellation on Senator Joel Villanueva’s sponsored bill, which seeks to integrate labor education in the tertiary education curriculum.

“I think it’s almost time…cause there’s only two of us here and the Senate President needs his date,” Villanueva said.

“So I will also ask my colleagues to just continue [with the interpellation] next time,” he added.

Zubiri also issued a “reminder” to the senators, most of whom attended the session virtually, that “it is the date night of our presiding officer,” referring to Sotto.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian interjected, jokingly saying that he and Villanueva can “stay here in the wee hours.”

Both attended the session physically.

“Wala po kami ni Joel na date,” Gatchalian added.

“It’s the single gentleman from Valenzuela, hanggang 3 o’ clock in the morning pa ‘yan. Maaiwan sa Senate,” Zubiri then said.

The interpellation on Villanueva’s bill continued on for over 15 minutes before the Senate suspended its session, which will resume Wednesday afternoon. [ac]