(NI NOEL ABUEL)

TINIYAK  ng liderato ng Senado na uunahin ng mga itong talakayin sa pagbubukas ng 18th Congress ang Anti-Terrorism bill na nabigong maipasa sa nakaraang Kongreso.

Ito ang pagtitiyak ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III kung saan ipaprayoridad ng Senado ang pagtalakay sa nasabing panukala na mahalagang maipasa ngayong Kongreso dahil na rin sa nangangailangan nito.

Maliban sa Anti-terrorism bill isasama rin ng mga senador ang pag-amyenda sa Public Service Act at ang Foreign Investments Act na pawang napag-iwanan noong nakalipas na Kongreso dahil sa kakulangan ng sapat na panahon.

“More or less the amendments to the Human Security Act which eventually be called the Anti-Terrorism Act is going to be a priority, and then the amendments also to the Public Service Act and the Foreign Investments Act. These were some of the bills that I know were left from the 17th Congress that we wanted to prioritize, but for lack of time,” ayon pa kay Sotto.

Samantala, malamig naman si Sotto na pag-usapan ang pagbabalik sa parusang kamatayan sa unang tatalakayin ng mga senador.

“I really can’t tell. Perhaps, it is a priority to debate on it. I would rather say that instead of saying that it is a priority measure kasi it is one issue that is very divisive. So we’d like to perhaps start debate on it. I filed a bill on that, particularly high level drug trafficking, nut we have two new Senators who have filed a bill encompassing all heinous crimes, so I hope it will be a healthy debate,” paliwanag pa nito.