Senate ethics committee junks case vs. Sotto

The Senate ethics committee dismissed on Monday the complaint against its chair, Senator Vicente Sotto III, over his “na-ano” remark on former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who presided the hearing, said the motion to dismiss the case was approved due to “lack of jurisdiction”.

According to Sotto, the complaint against him should have been filed instead before the Commission on Appointments (CA). He maintained that he did not say anything wrong about Taguiwalo.

“Mali eh… dapat nag-file sila ng complaint sa CA dahil nangyari sa CA,” Sotto said in an interview following the committee hearing.

“And I didn’t say anything wrong to a legislator. I was pertaining to a particular happening on the street na kapag ang isang tao ay may nangyari na ayaw nya i-elaborate, he will use the word ‘ano’. It is to dismiss, to brush it off,” he explained.

During a CA hearing on Taguiwalo’s confirmation as secretary of DSWD, Sotto cited her personal information that she was single but with two children.

“Just on the lighter side, Senator Drilon and I were looking at the personal information about you and you have two children, daughters ba or sons? But you’re single?” Sotto said.

Taguiwalo explained that from 1972 up to 1986, she had been underground or in prison, adding that her life had never been normal since then.

“In the street language, when you have children and you are single, ang tawag lang ay na-‘ano’ lang…,” Sotto said, as he assured that Taguiwalo had his full support.

However, Sotto’s remark drew the ire of netizens and women’s rights advocates.  KGA