Despite Corona trial, Senate had excellent performance – Sotto

Majority Floor Leader Senator Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Majority Floor Leader Senator Vicente Sotto on Wednesday said that the Senate had an excellent performance despite the impeachment trial.

In a chance interview, Sotto said that he is “very satisfied” with the Senate’s performance.

“As chairman of the committee on rules I am very satisfied with the production or the output of the Senate for the entire year,” Sotto said.

Sotto said that since July 2011 until June 2012, the Senate approved  71 bills and resolutions, 39 of which they approved while they were hearing the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona that began January 2012 and ended just last month.

Also, the Senate approved 79 simple resolutions, 18 local bills and three treaties, Sotto said adding that President vetoed three of the bills that they passed.

“Even without the impeachment this is difficult to achieve. What we have achieved for the entire year is quite difficult to achieve without the impeachment, but with the impeachment makes it doubly satisfying,” Sotto told reporters.

When asked if the Senate could have done a better job had they not conducted the impeachment trial of Corona, Sotto said that they might have passed a few more bills.

Meanwhile, he said that on Wednesday afternoon’s plenary session–which will also be their last session before sine die adjournment– the Senate aims to pass 85 local bills and five Senate Bills.

Sotto admitted that they are cramming to pass all the remaining bills before they adjourn for sine die.

“Regarding the local bills, yes, I will have to admit in the local bills we are really cramming but we will be able to do it and hopefully by the time we get back. We’ll be able to finish the rest,” he said.