Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay with Marichu Villanueva

Marichu: The last time that we had you as our featured guest was in May last year and the hottest issue at that time was the ongoing investigation about dun sa National Bilibid. We had our Kapihan sa Manila Bay sa Senate mismo. You invited me to go there. Whatever happened to that investigation?

SP Sotto: There was a committee report. It was on the floor. As a matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken, there was a breakdown ng committee report na ginawa ang committee on blue ribbon ni Sen. Gordon. If I recall it right, the first committee report was already presented. There was also a second committee report. It's in plenary and there is incoming third committee report. I think we even approved already the first committee report eh. There were not too much interpellations. You see, ito kasi yung hindi masyadong nakukuha ng ibang kababayan natin, pagka nag imbestiga ang Senado, inquiry in aid of legislation or as far as the blue ribbon is concerned, kahit hindi in aid of legislation because public accountability ang topic ng blue ribbon. Pagka yun naghearing at kung ano yung lumabas sa hearing at ganun lang at gumawa ng committee report, whether gumawa o hindi ng committee report, ganun lang yun. It doesn't really have a stand. Kailangan yun nire report out sa plenary. There were so many committee reports in the past that never reached the plenary. And even if it reached the plenary and it was not approved, wala yun. Kaya nga nagtataka ako kung minsan, merong mga committee reports na sina cite ng investigative arm ng Executive Department, even yung sa Ombudsman na sa cite nila yun. Pero yun hindi na approve ng Senate yun. So it's not really a Senate committee report. It is a committee report of the committee of that particular committee. Hindi siya official na Senate approved na committee report. So pag tiningnan mo yung records ng Senado, maraming hindi nakarating sa floor. Marami ring hindi na approved. Pero maraming na approved. At yun ang importante. Basta ang committee report mo nakarating sa floor, in approved ng Senado, then it stands as a Senate report. Ganun yun. Yung sa investigation nga na sinasabi mo, NBP tapos yung sa illegal drugs, mostly nakarating sa plenary and mostly na approve yung committee report itself.

Q: Pag hindi na approve ng Senate sa plenary, it's non-binding to the Senate as an institution.

SP Sotto: Correct.

Q: They can't quote from it. Sabi mo nga kino quote ng Ombudsman

SP Sotto: Precisely. The correct way for them to do is to quote the committee that made the committee report, di ba? According to the blue ribbon committee ganito, ganyan, yun. You cannot say that it is a Senate report.

Q: Ah okay may differentiation pala yun

SP Sotto: Oo. Magkaiba yun

Q: So mas binding sa inyo yung Senate committee report as approved by the plenary

SP Sotto: In approved sa plenary as a committee report, mabigay yun. Makikita naman sa records sa journal ng Senate kung ano ano yung mga na approved eh

Q: Ano ang legislative bill that came out of that kung meron if ever.

SP Sotto: Well yung una yung perjury. We have now a pending bill, ano nga tinawag natin dito, amendment sa Revised Penal Code. Article 183 and 184 of the RPC ang ginawa natin doon. Ang penalty dati ng perjury is one-month lang. Kaya ang lalakas ng loob magsinungaling, hindi lang sa korte kungdi sa mga Senate hearings mga ganun. Ang isa sa mga debate lang namin, ang gusto kasi dito sa Kongreso ka nagsisinungaling. Tataas pa pero sa korte, sa ganyan 12 years. Ginagawa namin, imbes na one month, 12 years imprisonment pag nagsisinungaling ka. Gusto niya taasan pa ng konti, eh merong mga hindi pumapayag, it's in the period...actually we approved it already. We approved it already on 3rd reading. Kaya lang natagalan doon sa sinasabi ko. But we stuck to that. It's 10-12 years parang ganun. We stuck to that penalty for perjury kasi katakot takot ang nagsisinungaling doon remember? Doon sa hearing na yun. And then sa high level drug trafficking also. Meron ding bill on that. By the way, another offshoot of that yung creation ng penal institution for heinous crimes, ihihiwalay natin doon sa mga nasa NBP. Hiwalay sila. Mag e establish dapat. My original proposal is for us to have a regional rehabilitation or penitentiary in all the regions at hindi sa Muntinlupa or sa NBP lang. Because based on the studies that were made before and this was in my early years sa Senate meron ng ginagawang research dito, doon sa Bilibid, kapag ang isang convict ay hindi na binibisita ng pamilya niya, doon na mag umpisang magloko. Doon na sumasama sa kung kani-kaninong mga gang at kung ano anong naiisipang gawin. Pero yung mga binibisita, usually hindi. Eh papano ka bibisitahin kung taga Negros o taga Sultan Kudarat ang pamilya mo at nakakulong ka sa NBP. Hindi ka talaga madadalaw. Baka ni once a year hindi ka madalaw. Ganun ang nangyayari. So the proposal and I filed a bill on this already, is to create a regional penitentiary. But, again offshoot of your question, we are proposing a penal institution exclusively for heinous crimes. Number one sa level dun yung mga high level drug trafficker. Nakahiwalay sila.

Q: This is a different direction sa Executive department whose plans is to transfer the NBP to Nueva Ecija, specifically in one of the areas in Fort Magsaysay. Kasi yung NBP sa Muntinlupa is a prime real estate property and they want to monetized it.

SP Sotto: Yes.

Q: So nagkakaroon ba ng coordination with the Executive Department?

SP Sotto: Meron naman because yung original na sinasabi ko na regional baka daw mahirapan agad agad. As far as the Executive Department is concerned, payag sila na Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao muna. As a matter of fact, sa Luzon doon sa Nueva Ecija, Visayas is Capiz ang proposal nila because there is a camp in Capiz na malawak na pwede and then Mindanao is Davao Penal Colony i.e. expand, ia upgrade, i.e. expand. Yun muna ang proposal nila. But then again, there will be a separate one, probably in Region 4B yung penitentiary for high level drug traffickers. Hiwalay sila doon sa Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao iba pa yung sa kanila. As far as the Executive Department is concerned, sa mga usap usapan namin, even representatives from DOJ, payag na payag sila doon. As a matter of fact, yung original na studies ko noon pinadala ko na sa DOJ yun, hindi lang naasikaso in the last Congresses eh.

Q: Under your bill sir, what happens to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology kasi meron ding BuCor sa DOJ? How do you intend to streamline the two?

SP Sotto: Yung BJMP is under the DILG. So mga local governments pa rin sa kanila. Yung component nay an hindi natin gagalawin. Pero pagka ginawa na natin yung regional, parang mas madali silang paluwagin. Luluwag yung national eh. Sa BJMP madali na silang makagawa ng remedyo nila para lumuwag ng konti naman, hindi yung ganyan na siksikan. Ganun pa rin, under DILG pa rin sila.

Q: And speaking of congestion, maraming persons deprived of liberty, PDL kasi yan ang politically correct term ng inmates, nagkaroon ng Covid dib a? kaya siguro very open ang Executive Department with your proposal na regionalized yung NBP. Anyway, that is one of the accomplishment of Senate last year, major. Hopefully nabreakdown na yung drug trafficking right inside the NBP. Another accomplishment under your leadership is the passage into law, finally after 3 Congresses of the Anti-Terror bill and you are one of the principal authors and among those impleaded right now at the Supreme Court. How do you intend to defend yourself on the Anti-Terror Bill?

SP Sotto: It's good that you mentioned that this has been being discussed for three Congresses already, the 16th, the 17th and the 18th Congress. Kasi some people are insisting na ngayon lang na may pandemic daw pinag-usapan. Para bang ang dating nila, ang dating sa akin, when they insist on that is parang isinisingit lang kasi. Ganun ang dating nila eh. Hindi nila maintindihan na panahon pa ito na nagkakasabugan sa Visayas, Mindanao at merong bombing sa Makati, noon pa yun. 16th Congress pa lang, sinasabi na natin na talaga dapat humigpit yung Human Security Act natin. Sapagkat yung Human Security Act natin, talagang napakalambot. Para bang may maipasa lang. Ganun yung nangyari nung araw. It's not really an Anti-Terrorism Act. Unlike the Anti-Terrorism Bill or the law of other countries all over the world. In other words, even during that time, up to now, until the passage of the Anti-Terrorism law, we were in the top 10 doon sa pinakamahinang pakikipagbaka, pakiki laban sa terrorism. At sino sino yung kasama sa top 10, nakakahiya yung mga kasama natin sa top 10, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria. Mga ganun ang mga kasama natin. Andudun tayo sa top 10. Walang Asian country na nandun sa top 10 kundi tayo. Even in perhaps in the top 20 because mahigpit lahat yung kanila. Even the countries in Europe, and then Australia and then United States saksakan ng higpit yung Anti-Terrorism laws nila. Nagtataka nga ako bakit may mga foreigners na nakikialam dito sa Anti-Terrorism law natin at may mga sinasabi, nababasa ko minsan sa newspapers, sa social media, pinipintasan nila. Bat hindi nila pintasan yung kanila? Doon saksakan ng higpit. Talagang malala. Walang human rights, human rights yung mga bills nila. Ganun mga klase ng mga bills nila. Dito sa atin, sobrang nalulunod sa safeguard yung Anti-Terrorism law natin kung tutuusin. Napakadaming safeguards eh. Lahat ng maaring pintasan nakita ko na kaya nga pag merong humihingi sa akin ng interview doon sa anti-terrorism law, sinasabi ko nga there's nothing that we can say na iintindihin nila. So ang depensa nung bill or nung law sa SC is the law itself. It is the best defense. It is the best argument. Read it. Do not interpret. Read it black and white makikita mo. Oras na nilagyan mo ng sarili mong interpretation, activism daw is not terrorism. Eh sino maysabi nun? Sinong gago maysabi na activism is terrorism. We even placed it in the law that activism is NOT. Andudun nakalista doon eh, advocacy. It's there, talagang ini specify namin. Kaya nagtataka ako kung minsan, sapagkat naririnig ko yung mga komentaryo nung iba. Sabi meron daw legal luminaries na nagsasabi na ganito, ganito, abay kung meron kang 10 legal luminary, haharapan ka namin ng 1,000 legal luminaries sinasabing tama yung mga nakalagay doon sa batas. Kaya lang hindi sila maingay. Sino maingay? Because they don't want it. It's as simple as that. So there's no explanation that we can make for them to accept it. Ayaw nila. Ganun kasimple eh. Pero sa ibang bansa, hindi sila nakikialam pero yung taga ibang bansa, nakikialam sa atin. Doon sa kanila, napakahigpit. Siguro the best defense is the law itself pagdating sa SC. Kaya nung tinatanong ako ng isang media na kaibigan natin, ano raw masasabi ko doon sa numerous petitions filed in the SC, sabi ko good. Be my guest.

Q: The SC yesterday consolidated those numerous petitions, i think there were 4 or 5. Has the SC already issued a memorandum to respond to it? Not yet?

SP Sotto: Wala pa. Pero I don't think we will be asked. If ever it going to be the Office of the Solicitor General or the OSG that will represent the Senate. I am told, if I recall, I think the Senate impleaded in one of the petitions filed by someone but then again, as I've said, the OSG will represent the Senate and the Executive Department will be able to do that. The Executive Department has more than enough, ika nga to be able to answer all their allegations and misinterpretations kasi there was this letter I read from Sec. Sal Panelo, si Sec. Panelo ang isa ang narinig ko, yung nabasa sa kanya eh more than enough. Andun pa yung OSG, DOJ. I'm very confident. I don't see any problem with the Anti-Terrorism Law of the Philippines. As a matter of fact, it is the most conservative law against terrorism in the world. I assure you. Sobrang safeguards natin. Yung mga sa ibang bansa, basahin nila yung sa ibang bansa. Anong safeguards safeguards? Basta terrorist ka. You know the issue kasi na isang hindi nare realized natin, yes I've always been saying that the problem of illegal drugs and drug abuse is such a complex crime because it's the only crime where the victim is a criminal and the criminal is a victim. But second to the problem of drug trafficking or drug abuse is terrorism. It is the only crime also that can be avoided. There should be a prevention measure against terrorism. Hindi pupuwedeng hihintayin mo na may sumabog saka ka mag iimbistiga at huhulihin mo yung mga terrorists. Hindi. Kailangan dun, huwag mong hayaang makapagpasabog. And if they did that before 9-11, hindi sana magkakaganun. There is a prevention program dapat na meron eh and it is incorporated in the Anti-Terrorism Law kaya ganuon yun. Hindi pupwedeng antayin mo na lang saka manghuli ng terrorists, hintayin mong may ginawa.

Q: The Senate version as you said is crafted very well, the House of Representatives adopted it en toto that's why it speedily went to Malacanang, after careful review of Malacanang it was signed by the President. What behooves or what makes me think is that, at least 3 did not vote. It was voted overwhelmingly in the Senate. Only three did not vote. Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Sen. Koko Pimentel

SP Sotto: No, no, no. Koko Pimentel voted in favor. It's only Sen. Pangilinan and Sen. Hontiveros who did not vote. But all their amendments were accepted by Sen. Lacson.

Q: And they are the most vocal ones in saying to trash it, especially Sen. Kiko and we're seeing in social media attacking him that basura is the Juvenile Justice Law not the anti-terrorism law.

SP Sotto: When some of our colleagues, one or two of our colleagues used those kinds of terms against a particular issue, kahit doon sa labas, pagka you start to use name calling na lang, that means that you lost the debate kaya kung ano ano na lang itinatawag mo at pinepersonal mo sapagkat yung debate mismo, because in the Senate, napakahaba ng debate niyan, napakahaba. Even in the 16th Congress, 17th Congress, yung mga hearings niyan pinag-uusapan nay an. In the House of Representatives, I don't think pwedeng o tamang sabihin na basta na lang nila pinasa. Yung in-adopt nila sa Senado, because yung Senate version na in adopt nila word for word, most of these were incorporated or were included in the bills pending in the House at nag hearing sila sa mga committee nila, nag debate sila. Nung dinedebate nila yan, halos pareho rin lang dun sa mga pinag-uusapan doon sa Senate. So it was easy for them to adopt the Senate version to avoid a bicameral conference committee which would entail a much longer time sapagkat kung ang pinag-uusapan natin dito ay 1 or 2 terms lang or definition magkaiba lang ng konti kailangan na mag bicam. The easiest way is to adopt one version from the other and that was what happened. It's unfair to say that the Congress did not debate on it. They did. As a matter of fact, there were many congressmen and congresswomen who you could see and hear that they have full grasp of the contents of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

Q: Ok, let's shift to another topic which is now the Covid- 19 cases in the Philippines. When you adjourned your first regular session, you tackled already the Bayanihan 2 that was supposed to take over the Bayanihan 1. There are now calls like from Speaker Cayetano, that the House is ready to convene, while waiting for the President, to call for a special session. So how is the Senate responding to this special session calls to tackle only Bayanihan 2?

SP Sotto: Well we have barely 3 weeks to go before July 27 so the call for a special session would not really have a big effect at this point. It should have been called about a month ago or even about 2 weeks ago. Pero right now, sandali na lang ito, July 27 resumption na kami, ang nakita namin sa mga proposals doon sa Bayanihan 2 na amendments, yung proposals ng Executive Department at yung content doon sa House of Representatives, makikita mo na there are certain issues that can be a different legislation. Yung Bayanihan 2, for the information of everyone, the Senate passed it on second reading. Again, I read it somewhere, in social media that we did not act on it. We acted on it. We passed it on second reading. That is the most important passage, the second reading, yung 3rd reading kasi for their information, kailangan lang na may 3 days na copy nabigyan yung mga senador at pagkatapos ay ia approve na namin yun ng wala ng debate, yung 3rd reading. When it was June 2 or 3 when we passed it, we needed a certification of urgency from the President to be able to do away with the 3-day rule. Kaya yung iniisip nung iba na naku pag sinertify ng Presidente ibig sabihin niyan tinutulak, hindi. It's just because we want to do away with the three-day rule. Pagkatapos siyempre meron dun parang, kasi urgent yan gusto ng President yan, gusto ng Executive Department kaagad yan, yes pero the real reason is to do away with the three-day rule which is mandated in the Constitution. Eh ngayon kailangan namin yun nung June 3 because June 4 dapat end na kami ang session. Eh hindi naibigay. Hindi namin napasa on 3rd reading. Pero napasa namin on second reading as far as the Senate is concerned. And then yung mga proposal na amendments na gusto ng DOF, meron na sa amin yun nakita namin and ang issue ngayon na mangyayari, parang introduction ko na sa iyo ng July 27 na mangyayari, we will approve it on 3rd reading. Alright? And then we will call for a bicam dahil iba yung version ng House.

Q: Tapos na ba yung House?

SP Sotto: Tapos na rin. Kailangan rin yung certification of urgency. Anyway, ipapasa namin, magba bicam, yung mga sinasabi ng Executive Department or Dept. Of Finance na gusto nilang ipasok sa Bayanihan 2, pag uusapan namin sa bicam. Ngayon ang rule diyan, ang rule of thumb is pag napag-usapan namin, nabanggit namin, pwede naming pag usapan sa bicam. Ang hindi pwede at hindi kami makakapayag at never ko naman nakitang ginawa yan ng mga Senate presidents, is yung wala sa usapan pinasok nyo bigla sa bicam. Hindi ba merong nagbintang noong araw pa na yung bicam nay an, yan ang third House eh. Panahon natin doon sa old building dib a, sinasabi 3rd House yan, sila Neptali medyo mainit diyan. We don't allow that.

Q: Yung nangyari sa 2019 budget?

SP Sotto: Lalo na.

Q: Hindi ba doon nagkaroon ng 3rd bicam.

SP Sotto: Oo. Biglang may hindi napag-usapan. Ni hindi nabanggit pagkatapos ipapasok mo sa bicam? Eh third House ka nga. So itong bicam na gagawin sa Bayanihan 2, yung mga proposals na napag-usapan namin, pwede. Kung papayag kami pareho ng House. Pag hindi and right now, I'm already being briefed by my chairman of the committee on finance, Sen. Sonny Angara, that there are two points na pwedeng nakahiwalay na legislation doon sa proposal ng DOF and we can do that right away in the last week of July like I think the ARISE which is incorporated sana doon sa Bayanihan 2. The ARISE is the Acceleration, Recovery and Investment Stimulus of the economy. Tapos naka separate din malamang yung kung tawagin namin eh FIST - Financial Institution Strategic Transfer. Yun yung FIST. Doon naman sa Bayanihan 2 kasi yung mga salient features nandun na naman talaga eh, napasok na naman namin yung proposal ng DOF. Like granting the President the necessary flexibility to realign budgets from the different agencies and direct response towards the country's Covid-19 response. Andun na naman yun sa Bayanihan 1 at inulit namin sa Bayanihan 2. At inulit na namin and then the continuing emergency subsidies for low income households, wage subsidy program o yung SAP kung tawagin natin. Tapos meron ding incorporated sa Bayanihan 2 yung assistance for teachers in private and public schools as well as tuition fee subsidies. Meron din kami nung 30-day grace period without incurring any interests in the payment of loans and utility bills in ECQ or even in MECQ areas. Andudun na yun. Pero yung FIST, yung ARISE saka yung CREATE, hiwalay naman yun, there will be hearings by the committee on banks na naka schedule na rito para hindi na mahirapan ipasa kaagad yung Bayanihan 2. Bale 3rd reading, bicam, adopt and then present it to the President right away para yung Bayanihan 2 ready na pati yung acceleration program, yung SAP, stimulus package andun nay un. Now yung talagang main stimulus recovery program as I've said the ARISE, FIST and the CREATE na involved yung CITIRA, there will be a separate legislation. Mahirap yung sina shotgun. Una, mapapagbintangan tayo ng gerrymandering, tapos pag shotgun ang approach hindi nabibigyan ng focus. Palagay ko that is the best recommendation being agreed upon by the Senate committee on finance, Speaker Cayetano and the DOF, Sec. Dominguez.

Q: Kaya pala originally... how much yun? kaya tinangihan ng DOF?

SP Sotto: Pinagsama-sama nila P1.3 billion (trillion) ang total.

Q: On new tax bills pending?

SP Sotto: Wait. Let me check. Naiintindihan namin yung gusto ng House yung P1.3 billion (trillion) na proposal nila na incorporated sana sa Bayanihan 2. Pero yun nga, kung tutuusin shotgun, maganda intention, mahirap gawin. At mahirap pondohan as far as the DOF is concern. So yung conservative, again conservative na approach would be P140 billion na... P1.3 trillion ah, I'm sorry I like to correct myself, sa House P1.3 trillion. Yung sa Senate agree kami na mga P140 billion. Makikita naman natin dun yun eh. Paghihiwalayin natin, naka-focus na. Pero maganda nga kase yung intention nung sa house kung tutuusin, meron talaga para sa transportation, meron para sa tourism meron para sa... lahat halos eh, talagang actually, economic stimulus package na yung sa House hindi Bayanihan 2, ganun yun. Maganda kung sa maganda kaya lang mahirap gawin ng ganung bulto. Ngayon for your question, yung new tax bills. The Bayanihan 2 meron, for third reading, tapos yung ngang FIST yung Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer, yun yun. That is part of it yung government.. meron pang GUIDE-- Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery -- ito, palalakasin yung mga government financial institutions, Philippine guarantee corporation, Landbank, development bank and provide assistance to MSMEs and other strategically important companies. Tapos this will also, yung Guide, will also authorize Landbank and DBP to create a special holding company na the aim is to reinvigorate the strategically important companies heavily affected by the pandemic yun yung gustong gawin ng guide. So those are in answer to your question na kung meron mga tax measures tayong pinaguuspan, and then the CREATE -- Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises-- actually ano ito eh, sponsored na sa Senate ito ni Sen. Pia Cayetano, ito yung Citira, yan yung Citira dati, so naging CREATE. And then ah, ano mga laman nito yugn across-the-board immediate lowering of income tax, corporate income tax baba kaagad natin ang target 30 to 25 percent, from 30 percent to 25 percent. Tapos sa mga new investors targeted, time-bound, tailor-fitted tax incentives. Kaya nga parang kasama na dun yung rationalization na sinsabi at para dun sa mga existing investors, there will be no change for their present incentives for about four to nine years that is the proposal dun the CREATE at doon naman sa mga countryside investors, targeted at saka time-bound yung mga tax incentives nila. So, aside from that then we are going to discuss right away the 2021 budget bill. Huhulaan ko na ang laman nung budget bill ng Presidente malamang yan they will prioritize health, they will prioritize build, build, build, digital infrastructure, agriculture and food value chain and other normal priorities, yun palagay ko ang order of their priorities sa tingin ko.

On the proposal to tax junk foods.

SP Sotto: Palagay ko mahabang usapin pa yan. Hindi madali sapagkat if you will recall yung sweeteners at yung kung ano-ano yung mga ganun, mahaba at magulo hind ganun kadali eh. Junk food, una debate na agad yan sa definition eh, ano anong junk food? Definition, parang definition ng terrorism yan eh. Ipinpilit ng iba, yung mga nag-pipintas dun sa definition ng terrorism gusto nilang ipasok yung wala dun eh... wala nga dun eh.

Q: If the DOF has no tax bills how come senators themselves are introducing tax bills?

SP Sotto: I don't want to talk out of my hat pero ang tingin ko baka ang iniiisip ni Sen. Win Gatchalian doon is to incorporate it with one of the bills na naka pending baka pwedeng isama or something like that. I don't know unless he has filed a bill to that effect, I am not aware of it, I'm just ano, medyo mga loose, loose talk ito about it. I'm not familiar.

On expectation about SONA On blended SONA and your preference:

SP Sotto: Because of the present situation natin and issue of health protocols, syempre as far as I'm concerned I would rather have the original SONA pa din that we do every year. But because of the situation, I'm more inclined to that proposal na a few representatives na lang from the Senate from the House and the executive department with the President kung saan comfortable ang health protocols ng Presidente at ng PSG. Therefore, kung gusto nila sa Malacanang, pwede naman na virtual lahat yung iba at wala nang mga bisita then if that is their proposal, pwede sa amin iyun. Sa akin personally I have not consulted my colleagues, but one time or another I mentioned to our colleagues already, na payag naman sila, that if the President in deed will want to deliver a SONA in the Palace, we can have the Senate in the Senate, the Senators in the Senate, virtual na rin kami pwede naman, and then ang house doon din sa House. Kung ilan lang yung kasya, kung ilan lang ang gusto nila with social distancing. Tapos sa amin din, I would just like of course to call on my colleagues that on the morning of July 27 at 10 am, It would be good if we will have at least 12 present on the floor because the quorum of the Senate usually is 13. You cannot elect a Senate President if you do not have 13. It's not a simple majority it has to be 13 pero 12 ngayon because one of us is not within the jurisdiction of the Senate kaya 23 lang kami and therefore the quorum is 12, so yung 12 sana present, sana physically present. We did that in the last session, the May session we did that, in the opening day. To be able to pass the resolution to amend our rules. Our rules still stand as long as there is national emergency we are allowed to attend sessions through the internet. Kaya lang mas maganda kung ang opening namin ng July 27 ay naroroon ang karamihan sa amin at yung mga hindi makakarating would be present through the usual internet, virtual attendance. And then in the afternoon for the President's address pwede na yung ano, basta may token sa Senate meron token sa house and then sa Malacanng ang Presidente pwede na rin yun. The only reason that I maintained attending the Senate and I never missed it even once is because nasa rule din naming yun nasa constitution yun, ang Senado kailngan nag memeeting sa Senado niya. Wala sa constitution na sinsabi na pwede kaming mag virtual lahat. Hindi pwede. It was very good that Senator Francis Tolentino pointed it out during the time that we were discussing the resolution amending our rules. Kaya magandang napoint out nya yun. Kailangan may laman lagi ang Senate kahit isa lang basta kailangan may laman hindi pwedeng nasa virtual lahat ganun eh.

On Sec. Roque's statement that there is nothing in the constitution that prevents the president to deliver his Sona outside congress.

SP Sotto: Correct.

On whether Malacanang already coordinated with the Senate.

SP Sotto: Meron mga usap-usapan lang nothing concrete at the moment pero ganun yung mga suggestions. In other words, there were about two or three options na pinag-iisipan. Well, we leave it to the president we leave it to the executive department we have given our suggestions, there are options we leave it to the executive department to finalize what they want. It's the President's call kung ano yung gusto niya yun ang masusunod doon as far as the SONA is concerned.

On sending delegation form Senate to Malacanang officially convey the invitation.

SP Sotto: Even in the past, ano lang yun parang virtual at saka ministerial, as a matter of fact, kung tutuusin pwedeng naman itawag yun eh. Ano lang yun, ministerial and then pagdating ng President sa HOR dun sumasalubong yung mga designated na sasalubong sa kanya. Again we will do that we will inform he President ganun pa rin, telepono nay un pwede na.

On what is the most hurtful attack he experienced from the media and how he was able to deal with personal and negative stories in the past? Is it the Alfred Tiongco.

SP Sotto: Correct. Yun ang sasabihin ko palagay ko that would be the worst, because ang PDI hineadline ako ng 45 days. 45 days, record breaker nga sa akin si Erap eh. Brinake ni Erap yung record ko 60 days yung kay Erap na headline nila araw-araw frontpage. Akin 45 days siguro yun ang pinaka nakaka... pinakamasakit na banat kase talagang sobrang mali yun, sabit-sabit yung mga bintang mali. Ewan ko kung sino yung pinaniwalaan, may mga pinaniwalaan silang kung sino noon na pagka the following day nasagot, nasa loob, wala sa front page. So yun siguro ang pinakamalungkot. Meron pa nga doon meron isang headline nun sabi Sotto blessed drug lord's firm. Kase meron pa lang, Si Tiongco, meron siyang hollow block company sa Pampanga na binuksan ribbon cutting, pinag bibintangan ako daw nag ribbon cutting para patunayan na kaibigan ko yun, hindi ako. Hindi ako, I was never there, I never saw that pero isipin mo headline yun diba? And then during that time... and the answer to the next question, ano yun how did I cope with it? Ang maganda dyan meron akong brod, abogado, libel lawyer ng inquirer si Tom Del Castillo, Si Tom del Castillo ay brod ko nag uuspan kami. Nagkausap kami through the initiative of Mon Tulfo, kase si Mon did not believed for a single moment the story of that particular reporter na nag-umpisa nung sa Tiongco Tiongco noong araw, alam ko naman later on I found out na it was really being fed by a group who wanted a black propaganda against me because they were afraid I was going to run for vice president. Eh gusto pala nilang gawin so Gloria Macapagal Arroyo na vice president with Joe De Venecia, so yun pala ang underlying target nun ah and ang nangyari Ramon, who did not believe a single word, told del Castillo na pagka itong si Tito naisipan kayong demanda, sabit na sabit kayo dahil, ganito, ganito, ganyan, ganyan. They were even ahh anong tawag dito, nauso nga nung araw yung... anong tawag doon? Guilt by photography, guilt by picture, diba? Dahil meron atang wedding na sponsor ako nakatayo tapos si Tiongco, he was one of the persons in the picture, aba naka headline din yun naka frotnpage din yun. Isipin mo magkasama sila sa picture picture o. guilt by association. Eto ngayon ang kicker diyan, pinakamatindi sa lahat, finile-lan nila si Tiongco, finilelan nila ng drug trafficking yata or something like that, ng government, eh kase yung DOJ noon ata saka mga ano, puro mga bata ni FVR yun eh, alam mo na.. Anyway, si Helen nga hanggang ngayon hindi sila pinapatawad eh. Ako tinatawanan ko na lang eh. Ang nangyari, dismissed ng korte yung finile nila kay Tiongco, ang gulo-gulo ng ginawa nila.. But anyway, yun nga si Tom Del Castillo nag-usap kami ni Tom sabi ni Tom sa akin, sabi niya hindi mag-usap tayo baka pwedeng audience, so I talked to about three big wigs from the Inquirer, three or four big wigs from the Inquirer harapan kami, kinuwento namin, explain namin. pinakita ko yung mga ano and they stopped, they stopped nung makita nila, siguro nakita nila uy, medyo sabit-sabit, ganun. In other words in answer to Sherrie Ann's question, I met it head on, as a matter of fact, record ito sa history ng Senado, I am the only Senator who stood up on the Senate floor after those mga headline-headline nila and ask that the Senate be convened to create a select committee to investigate me. Ganun katindi yun, ganun katindi ang paniwala ko na napakalinis ng konsiyensiya ko so I stood up and ask the Senate committee and the select committee was chaired by Marcelo Fernan, Chief justice ng Supreme Court dati, na naging Senator at saka naging chairman ng committee on justice. Ganun katindi ang mga hiniling ko na mag-imbistiga and they came up with a committee report that I did not have anything to do with all those mga bintang nila so yun head-on. Sinagupa ko head-on yun and ako mismo ang nagtawag ng hearing na imbistigahan ako. Of course my lawyer then was Rene Saguisag, so when we were, that was 1997 towards 1998, so when we were preparing to file a libel case against PDI, sabi ni Rene Saguisag sa akin, syempre hinihimas-himas naman ako ni Tom del Castillo, brod ko nga eh. sabi ni Rene Saguisag sa akin, you know, sabi nya, you don’t fight the newspaper on election year. Tapos nakaibigan ko naman si Letty na meet ko si Isagani Yambot nagusap na nagkita naman kami. Ang biro nga sa akin ni Letty Jimenez lagi is ano eh my favorite Senator, alam ko naman biro lang yun sila ni Nines silang dalawa ni Nines joke nila sa akin yun, favorite Senator daw nila ako.

Q: Ending is Instead of running for VP you run for reelection?

SP Sotto: Yes, that's right Siguro gusto ng Diyos yun na wag ako ano.. mabuti na lang, mabuti na rin siguro.

Q: Hanggang saan lang makialam ang mg opisyal ng gobyerno sa pamamalakad ng news organization or media in general? Kailangan bang pakialaman ito ng gov't.

SP Sotto: Hindi. Absolutely ang gobyerno hindi dapat nakikialam sa laman ng editorial lalo na. Syempre, opinion nila yun, Opinion nila yun, they could be wrong but that is their opinion diba? As a matter of fact, I have this mentality na hindi lang sa news organizations hindi dapat nakikialam ang gobyerno, government should be out of business. Government should not meddle with business. Pagka may mga pag kakamali o may mga violations okay punahin mo, pero that's different from pakikialam or pag-memeddle.

On his advice to lawmakers that were allegedly hurt by ABS-CBN.

SP Sotto: Harapin nila. Harapin nila kung hindi naman totoo yung sinsabi edi lalabas at lalabas ang katotohan. The truth is very difficult to hide.

On whether the House of Representatives followed the process in hearing the ABS-CBN franchise.

SP Sotto: Parliamentary ethics dictate that I do not comment. I refuse to answer that Sherrie...

On his advice to his House counterparts who will votes on the franchise.

SP Sotto: Same as above.

On what happened on the proposed department of disaster resiliency is it being pushed by PRRD.

SP Sotto: Pending in the committee. It is still pending in the Senate. It is being discussed by the Committee on Environment, I think.

Q: Who is in charge of the committee?

SP Sotto: Si Sen. Cynthia, I think two committees yan, environment and defense.

Q: How about the proposed department of OFWs?

SP Sotto: Naka-file, hindi pa nag he-hearing yung committee. Nasa Committee rin.

Q: What Committee?

SP Sotto: Labor and ah... alam ko labor and there is another one, I'm not sure baka sa finance.

Q: On bills submitted by the executive department creating new departments... they are asking department of department of resiliency.... Are we bloating unnecessarily the bureaucracy?

SP Sotto: No, not exactly, No. We are also debating a law, a bill which is the right sizing of government. Yung rightsizing ang sasagot diyan. Kase meron tayong mga bloated na departamento, like for example the Department of OFW na sinasabi, pag ni-right size mo yan para mong ining-corporate diyan yung POEA at saka OWWA imbis na magkahiwalay, May OWWA may POEA tapos meron pang component sa DFA may component sa DOLE. Pag na create yung Department of OFW nandoon na yun lock, stock, and barrel. And then the other departments medyo iniisip nga namin yung right sizing, we have filed this in the 16th congress, 17th congress. Ngayon nakapending pa rin sa amin yan and hopefully, kasi meron pa ring, naalala ko meron pa ring Department of Culture ni Congresswoman Loren kumadre ko, so medyo yun nga, ang naging nakahold doon is because we wanted the right sizing passed first. So sabay-sabay na ito, ipipilit pa rin namin na pagusapan yung right-sizing because while ito, sarili ko lang ito, I have been saying this for a long, long time, hopefully in the future may makinig din: dapat talaga sa atin, ang gobyerno natin because nga napakalaki, bloated kung tutuusin with due respect to our employees, dapat mag programa ang gobyerno ng early retirement program. Magbibay ng early retirement program, na magbibigay ng malaking amount doon sa mga magreretire ng maaga. Let's say retirement benefits of about P300,000, mga ganoon.

Q: Sixty-five years old yung government di ba?

SP Sotto: Oo, sixty-five.

Q: Ang retireable?

SP Sotto: Pag (unclear) mo ng early retirement program, baka maraming kumagat. Why do I say this? Meron akong study na napagusapan namin ito, and hindi ako naiilang na banggitin kung sino yung dalawang Kausap ko tungkol dito. Idea naming napagusapang tatlo ito. Si Danding Cojuangco, si Ramon Ang, at saka ako. Napagusapan namin yan, pag nainterview m si Ramon, tanungin mo. Early retirement program, based on the study nagpagawa si Boss Danding ng study noon kung paano mangyayari, parang survey. Almost 50 percent, mag-oopt ng early retirement program pagka binigyan mo ng ganoong kalaking retirement benefit. Karamihan kasi walang ginagawa, lalo na kung sumesweldo ng P18,000-P20,000, P22,000 a month? Mga ganoon? Bibigyan mo ng early retirement program na maganda, makakapagtayo ng negosyo niya? Why do I say this? Lagay mo na lang sa P3 trillion, P3 trillion ang budget ng gobyerno every year. Do you know that 60 percent goes to personnel services? Sixty percent, sixty-five pa nga, di ba? Sixty-five percent goes to personnel services. Can you imagine of 50 percent of the 65 percent will opt for early retirement, magkano ang masasave? What is 65 percent of P3 trillion? P1.8 trillion? You will be freeing P1.8 trillion of the budget of government. Ilang ospital ang mapapatayo niyan? Ilang eskuwelahan? Ilang infrastraktura nationwide? Bullet trains, kung anu-ano, mga ship building industry in the Visayas and Mindanao, railroad, a fast track railroad from Luzon to Mindanao? Ilan ang magagawa mo ng every year meron kang P1.8 trillion na nafree mo from the present budget? P1.8 trillion, ang Sasabihin ngayon, may magtatanong, as a matter of fact si Ramon ang nagbanggit, sabi niya o saan mo kukunin ang pera diyan pang bigay sa retirement benefits? Sabi ni Danding, yun ang uutangin natin. Yun ang uutangin natin para mabigyan sila, di ba? Pero hindi mo pinoproblema yung budget mo every year. You are freeing pagpalagay mo nang 40 percent lang or 30 percent ang nag opt ng early retirement program, nasa mga P1 trillion pa rin ang masasave mo.

Q: So why don't you push it in a bill?

SP Sotto: Hindi eh. Ang early retirement program should come from the Executive Department. I have given this to the past presidents, pero... As a matter of fact...wait, tama, tama, may legislative staff reminded me, it is part of the right-sizing, naipasok ko pala yun doon, the right-sizing program. So hindi ba? Mawawala na yung (unclear) mo, ang laki.

Q: Pero sana make sure na may provision doon na hindi fi-fill up ng position.

SP Sotto: Hindi. Correct ka, halatang-halatang 9th, 8th Congress ka pa, kasi pag upo ni Cory, hindi tinanggal ang mga tao ni Marcos. Nagdagdag ng mga tao niya. Pag upo ni FVR, hindi tinanggal ang mga tao ni Cory, nag upo ng mga tao niya. Ganoon din kay Erap, ganoon din kay Gloria, ganoon din kay Noynoy. Ngayon, masakit ang ulo ni Digong, dahil nga sa bloated na yun, pero hopefully makarating sa kanila yung proposal namin na early retirement program, ang laki ng...

Q: Pero di ba almost one half of the government personnel are public school teachers?

SP Sotto: Hindi. Doon sa 65 percent na personnel services, kasama doon ang education, kasama doon ang mga armed forces, kasama natin doon. Lahat ng government employees, kasama lahat yun doon. Marami ang mag oopt ng early retirement program pero ang ibig sabihin niyan yung mga importante katulad ng mga teachers, pwede mo palakasin, pwede mo dagdagan ang sweldo.

Q: (Unclear) admin pa ang tanggalin.

SP Sotto: Oo, pwede mong lakihan ang sweldo nila, mga health workers, pwede mo ngayon lakihan ang sweldo nila. Ang dami mong pwedeng magagawa doon.

Q: Ano ang status ng right-sizing?

SP Sotto: It is pending in the committee.

Q: Ipush mo.

SP Sotto: Meron na. In the 17th Congress, it reached the floor. Nag interpellation na, period of interpellation na. Ngayon sa 18th, kailangan ireport out pa rin ng committee. Follow up ko rin. I will try to follow it up.

Q: The House of Representatives is looking into providing additional funding to the DOH to boost the programs to combat COVID-19 pandemic. What is the Senate's statement in this matter?

SP Sotto: Eh kasi ang problema namin dito sa, like for example, Bayanihan 2, we cannot exceed P140 billion sa proposal ng Senate. P130 billion nga lang yung sa DOF, pero P140 billion ang sinasabi namin, because as a matter of policy, the government must not spend, it cannot go beyond its means. Ganoon ang polisiya sa Senado na iniisip namin, kung ano lang ang kaya natin, kung ano lang ang kaya, hindi pwedeng ipilit natin yung... the government must spend what it must, that's it.

Q: In particular, sa Department of Health. I think it is related with the Senate resolution asking for the resignation of Duque, kasi ang House initiated a move to add more budget to the DOH, but the Senate has a complaint against DOH Sec. Duque so what is you take on that?

SP Sotto: Well, my thinking is that Sec. Duque is not the DOH. He can come and go, at saka yung sa Senate resolution, is an expression of the sense of the Senate. They can take it with a grain of salt, they can take it seriously, it's up to them, ganoon naman yun. So hindi porke sa tingin ng Senado ay hindi maganda ang kinikilos nung Secretary ng department, eh magsa-suffer yung departamento> Hindi dapat. Kung kailangan ng additional funding, kung ano ang kailangan niya, ibibigay namin.

Q: COVID-19 figures continue to rise. Yesterday, 993 new cases, what do you think is wrong with the strategies of the government, what should be done?

SP Sotto: Ito, combination ito. Combination ang nangyayari kasi as far as the government is concerned, tapos the proposed funding namin na meron dito sa Bayanihan 2, meron kaming naka-allot na P10 billion for PCR testing, na may P10 billion pa doon ngayon, tapos may P15 billion na cash for work program, hiring the contact tracers na ang dapat nung una sinasabi ko wag, di ba? Pero kung ang gagamitin mo yung mga nawalan ng trabaho, pwede, okay yun kung yun ang gagamitin mo. Right now it is a combination of we were late, di ba? Vietnam started in January 12 ba or 14? Nag umpisa na ang Vietnam kaagad, naglockdown tapos bawal na may pumasok from ganitong lugar, tayo, late tayo, March tayo. March tayo, isa yun. So, hindi ganoon kadali gawin yung mga health protocols ng gobyerno. Pangatlo, meron ding issue na kulang ang testing centers natin, kulang yung, hindi tayo nakahanda, di ba? Hindi natin sinersyoso yung SARS nung 2003 di ba, kaya tayo hindi nakahanda. Ngayon, ngayon pa lang gumagapang, humahanda. Ang mabigat na kominasyon dito, marami atin matigas ang ulo, di ba sinabi ng stay home, na-GCQ lang, nagparty na, hindi ba? Kasi naman, ang kumbinasyon niyan ay talaga namang dito sa Pilipinas kasi merong, madiin ang demokrasya dito sa atin, Madiin ang demokrasya, freedom. Ganoon yun, di ba parang mentality ng mga Amerikano, wag mo akong pipigilin, gusto kong gawin to, mga ganoon. So may kumbinasyon na ganoon. Na kung sana nga, na tama lahat yun, hindi magiging ganito kalala.

Q: Sabi nga po they have to weigh in yung economic impact as against saving lives.

SP Sotto: Correct kaya yung gobyerno napipilitang mag GCQ, mag MGCQ, kasi nga yung ekonomiya nagsusuffer na. Nung una pa lang, pinaguusapan na natin yan, meron kaming mentality sa Senate na ano ang mas mahalaga, yung buhay ng tao or ekonomiya? Yung ekonomiya, maibabangon, yung ekonomiya, maibubuhay, pag namatay, maibubuhay. Uutang tayo para maibuhay natin. Pero ang tao, pag namatay, hindi na mabubuhay. Isa lang ang nabuhay, si Hesu Kristo, di ba? Ang Panginoong Hesu Kristo. Kaya huwag nilang ipilit at huwag matigas ang ulo.

Q: We had been recording 1,500 to 2,000 COVID cases per day since Sunday. Some hospitals are almost full; do you think the government should consider going back to ECQ? If tuloy ang GCQ, are we ready for higher cases of COVID-19? UP research team predicts 100,000 cases by the end of August. What should the DOH do to prevent this prediction?

SP Sotto: Una, kailangang-kailangan talaga makahanap tayo ng gamut. Merong mga gamot na available, merong mga gamut na makakapagpahupa ng virus. Yung vaccine, saka na natin asahan yun. Matagal pa yun. Matagal pa yun, ibang level yun. Yung gamut muna. Now, isa sa mga dahilan kasi, ngayon pa lang lumalaganap yung mass testing. Ngayon pa lang nagkakaroon ng mas maraming testing center, mas maraming pang test natin, merong pang rapid test, merong pang ano yung tawag sa testing mismo? Yung sa swab? RT-PCR. Ngayon pa lang lumalaganap, so ngayon pa lang lumilitaw yung iba na meron, and then kumbinasyon nga nung sinabi ko kanina, na baka sa tagal nito na mahigpit 100 days na, nagiging mas relaxed tayo. Huwag muna. Dapat, huwag muna mag relax. At least yung number natin, yung numero natin, oo lumalaki nga, lumalaki pero naiidentify kesa naman sa hindi naiidentify, o ang figures ay sinusuppress katulad nung may mga ibang bansa na nagsusuppress ng figures. Hopefully itong nangyayari ngayon ay baka nga eh it's a talagang a wakeup call for us na maglagay tayo ng mas matinding preparasyon ang gobyerno for this type of epidemics or pandemic.

Q: Kahapon inannounce na yung lifting ng non-essential travels, and because of the COVID, yung mga junkets ng lawmakers every nag-aadjourn ay nawala, tulad nung sa IPU.

SP Sotto: Nag virtual kami nung isang araw. Pwede naman palang virtual.

Q: Nakatipid pa di ba?

SP Sotto: Oo.

Q: Sino sino kayong umattend?

SP Sotto: Ako lang. Siguro heads lang ang inimbita. Ako yung head ng Asia Pacific council so heads lang, head ng European council, yung Americas, ano lang kami, sampu.

Q: When was that?

SP Sotto: Last week, I was at home.

Q: The host country?

SP Sotto: Ang host yung Presidente ng IPU, yung babae, yung Prime Minister ng Mexico. Barron, Prime Minister Barron. I'm sorry, Senator Barron of Mexico ang host.

Q: Kasama mo si Speaker Alan Cayetano?

SP Sotto: Hindi, ako lang yung representative ng Asia Pacific group. Isa lang ang representative ng Asia Pacific group, Philippines.

Q: During the House hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise, the alleged biases of the network in its news reports were brought up by some congressmen. Do you think the issue on how ABS-CBN does their news report is something that will also be tackled or brought up in the Senate hearing? Does this even matter in the renewal of franchise?

SP Sotto: Hindi siguro. In the Senate, hindi siguro. I don't know about the others, but as far as I am concerned, to me it is not an issue. Kasi hindi mo maiiwasan na kung minsan it is not really the company like for example, GMA 7 or even Channel 5, TV 5, hindi naman yung mga executives ang may kinalaman doon sa slant. Kung minsan yung mga reporter katulad nila Meanne, yan ang mga nagsa-slant, at saka si Sherrie Ann, yung gusto nilang slant, di ba? Eh hindi naman kasalanan ng network yun.

Q: May editors din naman, di ba?

SP Sotto: May mga editors, oo. Eh minsan takot sa reporter, kay Meanne, takot kay Sherrie Ann...

Q: On the first week of July, more than 10,000 COVID cases have been recorded. Considering the actions, the government has taken so far, how the people are behaving, what do you expect will happen in the second part of the year? Do you see the COVID health crisis ending this year or will it continue to rise next year?

SP Sotto: Una sa lahat, kailangan mas diinan pa natin ang pagdadasal. Hindi... Katulad ng ginawa ng Panginoong Hesu Kristong sinipa lahat yung nagtitinda doon sa templo, isang pitik lang ng Panginoon, tanggal ito. So magdasal lang tayo, labanan natin ito ng ganoon, it has to be hope, it has to be faith in God, ito ang panglaban dito. Maraming pwedeng gawin. Maraming nangyayaring ganito hindi naman matupad, let us just do what we can as far as we are concerned. Yung mga gamut, makahanap ng gagamot sa atin, ang ating FDA, Department of Health. Worldwide, kung may tumatalab na sa ibang lugar, sana masubukan din natin kaagad, magawan din natin kaagad. Pagka ganoon, huhupa yan. Ang gusto ko lang malaman din, hindi ko nga naitatanong, dapat itanong natin sa IATF, sinasabing number nung nagkakaroon, di ba? Ilan ba ang tinest nila? Ilan na ba ang natest nila? Hindi nasasabi kung ilan ang natetest nila, ang sinasabi lang yung nagpa-positive or yung suspect na may positive pero hindi sinasabing ilan na ba ang natetest. Sana malaman din natin para makita natin ang projection natin towards the end of the year kung aabot nga ba ng isang daang libo yan or hindi naman, kung mas mag iingat tayo. Kasi yung alam ko, yung pagkaka-lockdown natin, ang pinaka magandang effect noon is nadelay natin yung virus. Hindi ibig sabihin noon na mawawala yung virus, nandoon pa pero nadelay natin. Pero yung mga health workers natin, mas magaling na ngayon kesa nung February. Ibig sabihin mas alam na nila kung paano ihahandle. Kung paano imamanage, ano ang gamut, ano ang pwedeng tumalab, hindi katulad nung February, na nagulat tayong lahat.

Q: The DOF said the government has only P140 billion to spare in cash at least for this year. Does this mean GAA and other economic stimulus will be funded by the 2021 national budget? Meaning taxes will be implemented next year?

SP Sotto: Ang alam ko na sources of funding doon sa P140 billion, una savings. Pagkatapos meron doong yung excess revenue collections, meron din naman. And then meron ding new revenue collection, yung amounts derived from the cash funds and investments held by the GOCCs, meron pa rin yun, or any of the national government agencies. There is this 5 percent franchise tax on all gross gaming revenue, at saka yung (unclear) income tax, VAT, withholding tax, other applicable taxes on income from non-gaming operations, doon sa kikitain doon sa offshore gaming licenses, mga POGO, mga gaming agents, service providers, support providers, ito ang nakikita ng Senado nakapaloob doon sa possible P140 billion. So mapopondohan yun.

Q: Amenable ang Senate sa POGO operations...

SP Sotto: (Unclear) makolekta. Doon sa nakakakolekta, oo, kasi pagka hindi naman tayo nakakakolekta, illegal yan, aba dapat yun, magsiuwi na yun.

Q: Sen. De la Rosa announced that the US Embassy told him his visa will be renewed. What do you say to that?

SP Sotto: I don't know if I am at liberty to tell you this, bahala na, nagsasabi naman ako ng totoo, when I met with the President in the clubhouse, a few weeks ago, nagkita kami, kasama ko si Bong Go, there were other executives there. Parang nagmeeting kami, nagpulong kami na kami-kami lang, he just got off the phone a few days before that with President Trump. Kausap sila ni President Trump. Merong ginamit na word si President Trump na hindi ko uulitin, pero sinabi ni Presidente sa amin, those blank people from the State Department, they should not have done that in the first place, yun ang sabi ni Trump. Kaya hindi ako nagtataka na napagsabihan si Sen. De la Rosa na pwedeng ibalik or irenew yung visa niya. Because President Trump himself did not agree with what happened.

Q: Maganda yan behind the story na nagkaroon ng extension ng visa kasi naayos yung ano.

SP Sotto: Ewan ko kung konektado, kasi hindi binanggit ni Presidente, basta magkausap sila ni President Trump, pinagusapan nila yung COVID, may pinagusapan pa silang bagay tapos yung si President Trump ang nagsabi, sa kanya galling. Sa kuwento ni Presidente sa amin.

Q: Nakipag meet ka kay Presidente because of the LEDAC?

SP Sotto: Bakit nga ba kami tinawag...

Q: Tinawag ka?

SP Sotto: Kami nila Bong.

Q: Invited?

SP Sotto: Oo, invited. The IATF heads were there. I am sorry, I just don't remember why.

Q: Baka about Bayanihan 2?

SP Sotto: Basta it has to do with the pandemic.

Q: Nagrapid test ka ba doon bago ka nakipag kita kay Presidente?

SP Sotto: Oo. Magandang binanggit mo yan, meron kasing mga Ponso Pilatong namimintas doon sa bakit daw ako tinetest ng tinetest, hindi naman ako ang may gustong itest ako. Tinetest nila ako, because merong tinatawag sa gobyerno, nasa constitution yun, yung ano tawag dun? Hindi ito ang exact words pero ang meaning nung term, is parang basta yung survival is there. Survival protection, parang ganoon. Kailangan yung 1,2,3,4, kailangan healthy. Presidente, Vice President. The Senate President at saka yung Speaker of the House, kailangan healthy yan. In other words, kaya nga katulad noon, doon sa Senate may rapid test, pagkatapos mismo, sinwab, pagkatapos pupunta ako ng Malacanang, rapid test na naman, di ba? Pagpunta ko doon sa clubhouse, rapid test ulit. Hindi naman ako ang may gusto, kasi sinasabi nung iba sa umpisa, kulang na kulang daw ang rapid test, bakit daw nag rapid test ako, hindi ko nga gusto.

Q: Marami ng butas ang daliri mo...

SP Sotto: Wala, talo ako kay Teddy Boy. Si Teddy Boy, lahat ng sampung daliri natusok na. Tanong mo sa kanya, sampung daliri niya natusok na lahat.

Q: Last week nagtutuksuhan kami kay Nograles, ng daliri, marami ng butas. Obviously negative ka all the way, up to now.

SP Sotto: God willing, I am healthy.

Q: Hindi ka nakakapag golf.

SP Sotto: Merong pwede ang seniors, merong mga golf course na pwede ang seniors pero kailangan matindi. Naka mask, hindi pwede caddy, solo ka lang, social distancing kayo, mga ganoon, lahat ng health protocols. Sobrang higpit.

Q: Are you playing golf now?

SP Sotto: Well, every chance I get which is very few chances.

Q: You think government officials should not be onion skinned when it comes to criticisms or negative news reports?

SP Sotto: Well, we cannot prevent them from being onion skinned if it is not true. Ganoon. If it is true, you cannot be onion skinned. Tapos pagka opinion, sana lang ilabas naman yung opinion mo, yun na lang. Pero hindi mo pwedeng, you know you cannot be onion skinned to somebody saying na ito namang si Sotto, ang puti-puti ng buhok, pintasan, pangit, wala akong magagawa, opinion niya yun. Mga ganoon, I mean, general ano lang. Pero pagka binibintangan ka ay talagang magagalit yun lalo na pag mali, kaya mas maganda kung verified yung mga ika nga ay sinasabi.

Q: Without pertaining to the ongoing hearing at the House and generally speaking, is allegedly biased enough grounds not to renew a franchise?

SP Sotto: Hindi siguro. Bias lang? Hindi siguro unless there is a grave violation. Unless there is grave violation because there are franchises baka hindi alam nung iba, there are franchises na naibigay na, pwedeng irecall. Pwede, pwedeng gawin ng Kongreso yan. Kung may matinding violation ka, we will recall, all we have to do is repeal the bill or the law that gave the franchise pagka may matinding violations na ginagawa against the government ang isang franchise holder. Generally speaking, pwede yun.

Q: Basically I have covered all grounds. I would like to ask you to give your closing remarks.

SP Sotto: Thank you very much again Ichu, hindi ba ikaw ang editor ni Paolo? Magaling yun, brad ko yun. Anyway, thank you very much for this opportunity, again my favorite Marichu Villanueva, you gave me the chance again to be able to talk to not only you but of course those monitoring your Kapihan sa Manila Bay. The Senate is on its feet, it is working. Even if we are on break, we are working. There are many hearings being conducted. Hearings continues, and then pending approval, marami pa rin kaming naka pending, merong approval na for third reading, merong approval na for second reading, meron kaming naka pending na alam ko importante sa ting mga kababayan like the Medical Scholarship Act, because if the Anti-Terrorism Act is Senate Bill No. 6, which I authored, Senate Bill No. 1 is Medical Scholarship Act. And then also yung Coconut Levy, the Expanded Solo Parents Act, the CITIR is going to be covered, yung ROTC Act, the Department of Disaster, Agrarian and Agricultural Credit is also pending in the Senate. We are working even if we are on break with or without the special session we are ready to work and hopefully with God's help, God permitting, we will be able to recover from the pandemic. Let us keep our faith at sana po pagbigyan tayo ng Panginoon at maligtas na ang Pilipinas dito sa sakit na ito. Thank you again Ichu.