Press Release
March 9, 2020

Transcript of Ambush Interview with Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon

SFMD: This is the legacy of Senate President Sotto to the Senate of the Philippines, because it is under his presidency that we will have a final disposition and delineation of the powers between the Senate and the Executive. Senate President Sotto is asserting the independence of the Senate and the check and balance that we have to protect.

I recall that in 2005 we filed a similar petition in the Supreme Court under my presidency when then President Arroyo tried to limit the investigative powers of the Senate, in the case of Executive Order 464. We filed a case in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court, in the en banc decision, said that you cannot limit the power of the Senate to investigate in aid of legislation.

In this case, Senate President Sotto has asserted and asked the Supreme Court what are our constitutional boundaries and if our constitutional boundaries say that the Senate should be consulted, then the prayer is to send the termination to the Senate for its concurrence.

Q: Did you cite the VFA termination as your basis?

SFMD: Inevitably yes. Although I want to emphasize that this does not only concern the VFA. In general, it concerns the constitutional boundaries between the two political bodies of our government. In fact, there is also a pending petition in the Supreme Court which pertains to the Rome Statue. In general, it is a continuing effort of the Senate to define our powers. In fact in the last 20 or so resolutions concurring in the ratification of treaties, we have a clause, which says that any withdrawal should be with the consent of the Senate.

We have full faith and confidence in the impartiality of the Supreme Court.

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