Women's group backs Sotto's senatorial bid

MANILA, Philippines - The women’s group Gabriela yesterday pledged support for Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) senatorial candidate Vicente Sotto III.

Gabriela vice chairperson Emmi de Jesus said Sotto authored laws that benefited women and children such as the Family Courts Act of 1997, which creates special courts to hear and decide cases on family matters and offenses committed by minors.

Sotto also authored the Overseas Absentee Voting Law, which enables overseas Filipino workers to participate in national elections.

De Jesus said Sotto’s family supports the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu that has a state-of-the-art Women and Children Friendly Center, which provides psychosocial therapy for abused women and children.

“It would be a very positive move if Sotto would make good his promise to legislate the replication of such a center in the different regions nationwide. If implemented, the law would mean access to services for abused women and children,” De Jesus said.

Sotto resigned as chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board last November to concentrate on his campaign.

“It is not easy running a senatorial campaign on my own but what keeps me to continually persevere for a meaningful campaign are the people who have openly endorsed and supported me,” Sotto said.

Apart from Gabriela, other groups supporting his candidacy are Migrante International, Pasang Masda, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Magdalo, Task Force on Family, and Life Visayas.

“I may not have a lot of campaign materials or television commercials but I know that the Filipinos will make the right choice on May 10,” he said.