13 senators made co-authors of COVID-19 bill, says Sotto

MANILA, Philippines – Thirteen or majority of 24 senators have been made co-authors of a bill, granting  President  Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

At Monday’s special session of the Senate,  Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III declared that all senators present be made co-authors of Senate Bill No. 1413.

“With the approval of the body,  all members present are made co-authors of  the said  bill, Senate Bill 1413,”  said Sotto, who along with  Senator Pia Cayetano, initiated the filing of the bill known as “We Heal as One Act.”

Aside  from Sotto and Cayetano,  the 10 other senators  who attended the session  are Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto,  Senators Sherwin Gathcalian,  Christopher “Bong” Go,   Richard Gordon,   Panfilo Lacson,  Lito Lapid,  Manny Pacquiao, Grace Poe, Ramon “bong’ Revilla Jr., and Francis  Tolentino.

While she was not present in the session, Senator  Cynthia Villar sent a  letter expressing her intention to co-author the bill.

Sotto said Villar would be counted as co-author of the measure.

“Ah yes, counted yun (that’s counted). 13 co-authors,” he said in a text message.

All opposition senators— Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, and  Leila de Lima, who has been detained at Camp Crame over drug charges— were notably absent during the session.

The bill seeks to  declare the existence of a national emergency  arising  from  Covid-19 and authorizes the President “for a limited period and subject t restrictions, to exercise  powers necessary and proper to carry out the declared national policy.”

Such powers include  the  President’s authority  to “direct the operation of any privately-owned hospitals and medical and health facilities, including establishments to house health workers, serve as quarantine areas, quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations, or other temporary medical facilities; and public transportation to ferry health, emergency, and frontline personnel and other persons.”

“If the foregoing enterprises unjustifiably refuse or signified that they are no longer capable of operating their enterprises for the purpose stated herein, the President may take over their operations subject to the limits and safeguards enshrined in the Constitution,” the bill said.

The President would also be granted  under  the bill to “regulate and limit the operation of all sectors of transportation through land, sea or air, whether private or public.”