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Villar wants equal attention for senators who attend Senate sessions - virtually or physically

Published Jun 3, 2021 08:45 pm

Tension rose in the Senate Thursday, June 3, after Senator Cynthia Villar accused Senate President Vicente Sotto III of giving "special attention" to colleagues who have been attending plenary sessions physically.

Senate of the Philippines (Senate PRIB)

Sotto and Villar later made peace after the heated exchange during the chamber's discussion on the bicameral conference committee report on the bill seeking to modernize the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the ratification of which was rejected over the insertion of an amendment that would authorize firemen to purchase and bear guns.

It began when Villar asked to clarify how the Senate voted on the motion to adopt and ratify the bicam report, and if the vote of Senator Christopher "Bong" Go had been included in the count.

Go, who was not in plenary or online during the voting, would have agreed to ratify the bill since he was also the proponent of arming firefighters.

"No, he was not -- he did not answer the call of the roll and during the voting, he was not there also," Sotto said.

Go explained he had connectivity problems.

Sotto, however, said: "I don't think we should put it that way, because if you are going to put it that way, you have to be here, present, physically, so your vote will be counted. Hindi ganoon (That's not how it is)."

Before Sotto could finish his sentence, Villar interjected and raised that senior citizens were "not allowed" to go out of their homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

"'Pag sinasabi mo palagi na dapat andito kayo, you should consider that we cannot get out. Kayo senior, nakakalabas kayo, eh. You take the risk of being questioned because under the protocol, the seniors can't go out of their homes," she told Sotto.

Sotto tried to clarify that it was not pertaining to any of his collleagues and that he only meant to point out that Go was not present during the voting, but Villar continued.

"No, no, you always say -- Mr. Senate President, I am not talking of Mr. Go now, I am talking that you always say that you should be here. How can we be there when we're seniors, we're not allowed to get out?"

"Maswerte ka na senior ka pinapayagan ka, pero kung malagay tayo sa dyaryo na mga senior tayo dahil senador tayo, lumalabas tayo sa bahay natin, di ba pangit din tignan 'yon (You are lucky that you are being allowed even you are a senior citizen, but what if we are placed in the newspapers that just because we are senators, we are allowed to go out even if we are seniors, that isn't good, is it)?"

"Because you always say that you are not always here, as if you give special attention to those who there," Villar told Sotto.

It was in this statement that the Senate president spoke up.

"I take exception to what you are saying, Senator Villar, you should listen to what I'm saying. I was pertaining to Sen. Go, if you are not online you could've been here. Now if you are not here, physically present, you are not online, therefore, you are not present. You are absent," Sotto said.

"I was not pertaining to the seniors. As a matter of fact, Sen. Go is not a senior! So he should be here!" he exclaimed.

"You don't have to be here if you don't want to, you are seniors. I was pertaining to Sen. Bong Go and the vote," said Sotto, who immediately suspended the session.

Sotto and Villar seemed to have settled their misunderstanding during the suspension, as the latter was heard apologizing when session resumed.

"I'm sorry ha, 'wag ka magalit (don't be mad). Sorry, sorry," Villar said.

Sotto forgave Villar and also apologized for raising his voice during their exchange.

After this, senators agreed to adjourn the session sine die earlier as planned, shelving the discussion on other bills, such as the proposed amendments to Public Service Act, which President Duterte had certified as urgent.

Congress will resume sessions in July.

Related Tags

BFP modernization program Bong Go Tito Sotto Senate Cynthia Villar
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