Sotto confident of Senate leadership

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed confidence about his leadership amid cracks already showing in his relationship with the minority.

Speaking to radio dwIZ yesterday, Sotto recalled Wednesday’s plenary session when minority member and former Senate Blue Ribbon committee chair Rodante Marcoleta challenged the leadership’s move to agree to the House of Representatives’ request to detain sacked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez in Camp Crame.

The senators eventually agreed to commit Hernandez at the Pasay city jail for his contempt citation, but only after a tense exchange between Sotto and Marcoleta.

Marcoleta also questioned Sotto’s refusal to sign his letter to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla requesting to put the controversial contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya under the witness protection program.

“I have gone through a lot of challenges like these,” Sotto said, adding that he only reminds himself to “do what is right and not do anything illegal, no matter who gets dragged by it.”

Sotto – a veteran senator who previously held the Senate President post from 2018 to 2022 – called it “God’s will” that his allies mustered the numbers to replace Francis Escudero as Senate President last Monday.

But he said he listened to Lacson’s advice not to underestimate the nine-member minority bloc composed of Senators Marcoleta, Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Robin Padilla and Imee Marcos.

Asked if the minority has a chance of getting the numbers to unseat him, Sotto said leadership coups always happen and that he is leaving his fate up to God.

“It’s up to them. Anything can happen, just like last Monday, when thieves were almost put under the witness protection program and the next day, the former Senate president pro tempore and majority leader were dragged into the flood control controversy,” Sotto said.

He was referring to Estrada and Villanueva, whose names were brought up during the House investigation where Hernandez accused the senators of receiving 30 percent kickbacks from Bulacan projects.

“Let them be, but as for us, we will walk the right path and we will fix up the place,” Sotto said.