SP Escudero on Senate leadership, preps for session opening, chambers of Congress relationship, and controversial bills
SP Escudero on Senate leadership, preps for session opening, chambers of Congress relationship, and controversial bills
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00:00The Senate is in the homestretch of its longest mandatory pause from work.
00:04Hence, our Daniel Manalasta sees the opportunity for a sit-down chat with the chamber's most powerful lawmaker
00:11to ask him a range of questions since he took hold of the leadership in a controversial change of the guard.
00:17Here are excerpts from the first part of that one-on-one.
00:24Days before President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s sauna,
00:28Senate President Francis Escudero sat with me for an interview.
00:32During the one-on-one, I asked about the status of work and the mood in the Senate.
00:37The Senate has been in the midst of some needed housecleaning.
00:59And months after the change of Senate leadership from former Senate President Juan Miguel Zuriri,
01:06how are the working relationships going on between and among Senators so far to include him?
01:28Most of us still remember how a world war erupted between a number of Senators and some House lawmakers
01:45due to the prevailing issues on charter change.
01:48But for Senate President Cheese, things have improved between Senators and House legislators.
01:58He was my head in the UP College of Law.
02:00That's where we met and got to know each other.
02:04Aside from being in the Chamber, my brother is also there.
02:08I have a lot of friends and colleagues in Congress
02:12who I have maintained a close relationship with.
02:16That's why it was easy for me and my partner to restore the relationship between the Chamber and the Senate.
02:24I believe that with the passage of time, whatever bad things happen, they will also disappear.
02:30Meanwhile, Escudero gave a frank response on his stand on CHA-CHA.
02:34Let's say it one by one.
02:36The RBH 6 and 7, because Senator Angara was appointed by the Department of Education,
02:44we will return that to the committee and follow that to the ordinary process.
02:49That will no longer be a priority of the Senate.
02:51That is my position even before I became Senate President.
02:54There is no reason for me to change my position because I became Senate President.
02:59This is also my position, the majority of the current Senators.
03:04Some changes may occur in the Senate soon.
03:07As Escudero confirmed, he's inclined to propose Monday to Thursday session days to catch up on work.
03:13Yes, because there are things that are not the work of the Senators.
03:19It is the natural and ordinary work of the Senate.
03:24We will finalize the lunchtime.
03:26Yes, we are finalizing it.
03:27One of the Deputy Secretary Generals, maybe.
03:29In many occasions, of course, the Senator wants them to speak.
03:33But for me, it's about the work of the Secretary and not our job.
03:39It's good that the Senate has a speaker.
03:41With the help of my colleagues in cooperation and their support,
03:46I also asked Escudero about the controversial bills.
04:15Like the Divorce Bill and the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty.
04:45This is a challenge for Senator Robin Padilangan.
04:48I hope he succeeds in getting it and finding it.
04:51I will not be hindered.
04:53I will not vote against this because it is a product of my dynasty.
04:59It is a conflict of interest.
05:00But if I need a vote to be happy, I will vote.
05:05As for the Divorce Bill, it is a challenge.
05:08But I hope that those who support it will not be too strict with the words they use.
05:18Because the only way I can see for them to be happy is if they are relaxed.
05:23Not only to use the words and the word divorce, but they will invoke and amend Article 36 of the Family Code.
05:32Daniel Meranastas from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.