PREPARE for interpellations.
This was the unsolicited advice of Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon to neophyte senators in the 19th Congress who were proclaimed just last week.
In an interview with radio dzBB, Drilon recalled that as a newbie senator in 1995, the first measure he filed was to give tax exemptions to rural banks.
As a lawyer, Drilon said he has general knowledge of taxation, but then Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a tax expert, stood up to interpellate him.
“Tumayo si Ponce Enrile, namutla ako. Nung in-interpellate ako, namutla ako, pinawisan ako (Ponce Enrile stood up. I turned pale when he interpellated me. I broke into sweats),” Drilon said.
He also talked of the time that he, already as a veteran lawmaker, interpellated neophyte senators, including Senators Christopher Go and Emmanuel Pacquiao, among others.
To avoid being self-conscious during interpellations, Drilon said neophyte senators should “study well” and always be prepared in answering questions related to the measures they will file or will sponsor in plenary.
He added they should not take interpellations personally, since floor discussions are intended to enlighten not only lawmakers but the public as well in relation to measures filed by senators.
“Ang debate ay hindi personal. Ito ay para maliwanagan ang taumbayan at malagay sa record kung ano ang factors bago natin ipasa ang batas. Yan ang nature ng legislation (Debates are not personal. These are meant to enlighten the people and to put on record the importance of a bill before we approve them and pass them into law),” he explained.
There are three incoming neophyte senators in the 19th Congress — actor Robin Padilla, Raffy Tulfo, and Mark Villar.
Of the three, only Villar has the experience as a lawmaker being a former representative of Las Piñas City.
At the same time, Drilon said getting the highest number of votes does not automatically entitle a neophyte senator the privilege of choosing a committee that he or she wants to head.
Contrary to the statement of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian that being a topnotcher in the Senate race has a weight in determining who gets to be chairman of a committee, Drilon said seniority and competence are the primary considerations in getting committee assignments.
“Yan ay pinag-uusapan. Seniority ay isang circumstance being considered. Halimbawa, Committee on Finance, budget ‘yan ng buong pamahalaan. Pinagde-debatehan ‘yan kung anong budget para sa isang department. Kung ikaw ay baguhan, mahirap na hawakan mo ang committee na ‘yan, seniority ang factor diyan (That is discussed. Seniority is one of the factors being considered. For example, the Committee on Finance, that committee tackles the budget of the whole government, the budget for the different agencies is debated. If you are a neophyte, it will be difficult for you if you handle that committee. Seniority is a factor to be considered),” he stressed.
Gatchalian made his statement after Padilla expressed desire to chair the Senate committees on national defense and on constitutional amendments.
Drilon said the next Senate president should be a consensus builder who is an expert in compromise solutions and has a mastery of the Senate rules.
