MANILA, Philippines – A few months after his controversial remark against the former Cabinet official, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III voted to confirm the appointment of Judy Taguiwalo as social welfare secretary on Wednesday, August 16.

Sotto told Rappler that he voted in favor of Taguiwalo, who failed to get the nod of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).

“I voted to confirm [her]. She was fit for the job,” Sotto said in a text message.

As proof, the senator said he showed his ballot to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon during the secret voting.

“May witness ako (I have a witness),” Sotto said in jest.

Asked if he approached Taguiwalo after the rejection, Sotto said there was “no chance” for that.

“I was late for the hearing because of another committee then marami ng tao (there were too many people already) after [the announcement of the decision],” Sotto said.

The senator earlier drew flak when he described Taguiwalo, a single mother, as “na-ano lang” (just got knocked up) in a CA hearing in May. 

At the time, Taguiwalo responded by saying: “Senator Sotto, I teach women’s studies. We respect all kinds of families and that includes solo parents. Thank you.”

Sotto later on apologized and said it was just a joke.

The CA, on Wednesday, rejected the ad interim appointment of Taguiwalo, one of the Left-leaning appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte. She is the 3rd Duterte Cabinet appointee rejected by the CA.

The CA committee on labor and social welfare said it had “looked into all angles of her background and character” to ensure that it based its recommendation on “real truth and solid fact… taking into consideration the best interest of the people.”

The public denounced the CA decision and expressed support for Taguiwalo.

Other senators who claimed they voted for Taguiwalo are Drilon, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, as well as Loren Legarda, Juan Edgardo Angara, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, and Francis Pangilinan. – Rappler.com