Sotto to ‘exercise oversight’ in fifth Senate term

Senator-elect Vicente Sotto III —File photo from the Lacson-Sotto media bureau

MANILA, Philippines — Newly proclaimed senator-elect Tito Sotto said he will “exercise oversight” in his fifth term in the upper chamber of Congress.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Sotto as the eighth-ranking senator with 14,832,996 votes in a ceremony at the Manila Hotel on Saturday.

“In this fifth term, I will exercise oversight on existing laws to ensure that it is properly implemented. I will make sure that the budget of the government is used correctly,” Sotto said in his message after his proclamation.

“And most of all, I will make certain to restore the good image, integrity and independence of the institution,” he added.

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Sotto further touted that he was the first and only senator so far to have been elected to five terms.

He ran under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate. /jpv