Sotto still cool to divorce bill despite kin’s approval

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Vicente Sotto  III  disclosed on  Tuesday that his wife,  veteran actress  Helen Gamboa, and their two daughters are now in favor of divorce in the country.

But he stressed that even his family’s support is not enough to convince him to support the divorce bill being pushed in  Congress.

“Hindi  pa. Pinag aaralan pa, ” Sotto said in a text message when asked if he was already convinced, given his family’s support for the measure.

“Ang Bible nga mismo may debate sa divorce, Senate pa?”  he added.

Soto bared his wife and daughters’ stand on the bill when interviewed earlier on DZMM.

“Aaminin ko na may isa, dalawa sa mga anak ko, sinasabi sa amin na ano yan e dapat na e, matagal na, panahon na, nararapat …”  he said  when asked about  the divorce bill.

In the text message, Sotto said he was referring to two of his daughters.

“Pag tinanong mo si Helen dyan,  medyo 70-30 sya in favor with proper safeguards. Pero wala syang plano na  i-divorce ako,” he said during the radio interview.

Sotto stressed that the issue must be thoroughly studied.

He added that its proponents must be able to explain why divorce is better than annulment.

Instead of passing a divorce bill,  he said those against it would rather amend the grounds for annulment to simply it and make it more affordable and accessible. /gsg