Latest news with #Sotto
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Tito Sotto attests to Marcos' objection to VP Sara impeachment
Senator-elect Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III on Wednesday attested to the previous statement of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong Marcos Jr. emphasizing his objection to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. 'I will attest to the fact that in number of times that in those moments that we are able to talk with the President… Bongbong Marcos during the course of the campaign, he was really inclined not to support the impeachment,' Sotto shared during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum. Sotto ran his 2025 campaign under the Marcos administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate. 'I believe, yung sinabi niya nung una baka raw makagulo sa takbo ng ekonomiya, ng gobyerno. He is reiterating it now. I agree because narinig ko sa kanya yun. I can attest the fact that he really means that he is not in favor of the impeachment process at this point,' the senator-elect added. ('I believe, what he said at first is that how the economy, the government being run might suffer. He is reiterating it now. I agree because I heard it from him. I can attest the fact that he really means that he is not in favor of the impeachment process at this point.) In a recent interview, Marcos said he does not think the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte, his running mate in the 2022 presidential elections, will result in political turmoil, but reiterated he didn't want the impeachment in the House of Representatives. Asked if the views of the President should be followed by his allies in the Senate, Sotto emphasized the upper chamber's independence. 'Yes, in the political world, but as far as the Senate world is concerned, the Senate has never been fully controlled by any President,' Sotto said. The returning senator cited his experience from his previous terms, particularly on the President's preference for the Senate presidency. 'Hindi lahat ng pagkakataon ang Presidente ay nakikialam sa Senado at pwedeng makialam... Merong may mga nag-attempt na makialam pero hindi rin nasusunod eh,' he said. (It's not all the time that the President interferes with the Senate and is not allowed to… There were previous attempts but they did not succeed.) Among the instances that he recalled was the time of former president Fidel Ramos when he asked the upper chamber to elect someone from his party, Lakas-CMD, as Senate president. 'He was a Lakas party stalwart, but we elected an LDP president, Senator Neptali Gonzales. We do not follow the wishes of President Fidel V. Ramos who (had) only three members of Lakas in the Senate during that time,' he said. The same happened during the time of late former president Benigno Aquino III, when the latter wished for a Senate president from the Liberal Party, but the senators elected former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile instead. During the time of former president Joseph Estrada, Sotto said they 'acceded' to the latter's wish to elect his preferred Senate president. Former presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Rodrigo Duterte did not interfere with the election of the Senate presidents during their terms, Sotto said. ''Di ko na-experience na ang presidente ay nakikialam sa Senado,' he said. (I did not experience a President interfering with the Senate.) Meanwhile, Sotto said that there are no so-called independent blocs in the Senate. 'In the 20th Congress, I know there'll be a majority and a minority. I don't foresee what I heard from another colleague who said merong independent bloc. There's no such thing. Why? You're either with the majority or not. So, therefore, if you're not in the majority, you're in the minority,' he said. 'If you vote to elect a Senate president, you are in the majority. Ganoon kasimple lang naman 'yun. Walang ibang interpretasyon doon. Personal na interpretasyon nila siguro… you are either in the majority or the minority,' he explained. (It's that simple. There is no other interpretation there. Perhaps it's their interpretation.) Recently, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros mentioned forming an independent bloc with senators-elect Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan and Bam Aquino should they not get the minority bloc due to the group of senators allied with former president Duterte who branded themselves as the opposition to the Marcos administration. Senate presidency In the same forum, Sotto expressed doubt that incumbent Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, his supposed partymate in the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), will toe the party line as the race for the Senate presidency for the 20th Congress heats up. According to Sotto, Escudero filed a leave from NPC. He did not mention when Escudero left the party. Asked if they expect the NPC to have the highest number of seats in the 20th Congress, Sotto said, 'Kung susunod [si Chiz Escudero]. Alam mo naman, sabi ko nga sa'yo, hindi na natin alam yung alliances (Like what I said, we don't know of these alliances) ngayon ng party sa Senado because we don't know how the relationship of my former colleagues or my colleagues there are situated.' Several senators of the 20th Congress have confirmed that Sotto and Escudero were discussing with them their bid for the Senate's top post, namely Senators Bong Go, Erwin Tulfo, and Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa. Apart from Sotto and Escudero, Senator Imee Marcos recently said that some of their colleagues offered their support if she will run for the Senate presidency. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
21-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Chiz, Tito reached out to discuss Senate presidency, Bong Go confirms
Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero and senator-elect Vicente "Tito" Sotto III have separately asked Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go for his support in their respective bids for the Senate leadership in the 20th Congress, Go told reporters on Wednesday. Go said their group which also includes Duterte-allied senators Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, and Robin Padilla, and senator-elect Rodante Marcoleta will vote as a bloc on the Senate presidency. 'Marami pa pong ibang nakikipag-usap din po sa amin, but we are open sa lahat po ng pag-uusap basta ang criteria namin unahin 'yung interes ng bayan, interes ng bawat Pilipino at independent Senate po ito,' Go said in an interview with reporters. (Many have been speaking with us, but we are open to all discussions. Our criteria is to prioritize the interest of the country, of every Filipino, and an independent Senate.) Asked if both Escudero and Sotto had asked for his support, Go said answered in the affirmative repeatedly. 'From our group, yes,' Go said. 'Lahat naman po sila initially nakikipag-usap individually or as a group.' (All of them are initially talking to us individually or as a group.) GMA News Online has sought comments from both Escudero and Sotto and will publish them as soon as they are available. When asked if their bloc will field someone for the Senate president race, Go said any senator had the right to run for Senate President. On Saturday, senator-elect Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson said that there are at least 13 incumbent and incoming senators of the 20th Congress who have expressed preference for a Senate president who is 'independent, transparent, and competent.' Lacson, a close political ally of Sotto, said this sentiment was based on individual discussions with majority of 20th Congress senators. Installing a new Senate president requires 13 votes from the 24-member legislative chamber. Before this, Sotto disclosed that three to four senators have approached him about his return to the Senate presidency in the 20th Congress. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Muntinlupa court partially grants Vic Sotto's Writ of Habeas Data petition against Darryl Yap
A Muntinlupa court has partially granted a petition filed by actor Vic Sotto against filmmaker Darryl Yap regarding the controversial trailer for Yap's upcoming film, The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma . The Writ of Habeas Data, issued by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 on January 27, prohibits Yap from disclosing personal information about Sotto in any promotional materials or platforms related to the movie. In a detailed 20-page order, Presiding Judge Liezel Aquiatan mandated that Yap and his production team, Vin Centiments, remove a 26-second teaser video that allegedly depicted Sotto as a rapist connected to the late '80s actress, Pepsi Paloma. The court described the portrayal as a misuse of collected data, particularly criticizing the use of unverifiable conversations involving deceased individuals. 'Respondent Darryl Ray Spyke B. Yap and any person or entity acting on his behalf… are ORDERED to delete, take down and remove the teaser video from online platforms, social media, or any other medium,' the court order read. Get the latest news instantly on your phone — join The Filipino Times WhatsApp channel now! While the court ruled in favor of Sotto concerning the teaser, it refrained from addressing claims of malice or ill intent on the part of Yap, stating that such issues are beyond the scope of the current case. These allegations will be considered in an ongoing cyberlibel investigation by the Office of the City Prosecutor, the order stated. Despite the removal of the teaser, the court allowed Yap to continue with the production and release of The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma , which is slated for theatrical release on February 5.
