Palace eyes Sotto as next anti-drug czar

Vicente “Tito" Sotto III, a former opposition figure, is welcome to stay with the ruling coalition even after he was defeated in the recent senatorial elections. A Malacañang official told reporters on Monday that Sotto, who ran under the Team Unity ticket, can still work with the Arroyo administration by championing the government’s fight against illegal drugs. “We want him to stay on the side of government so that he can continue to effectively champion the worthy causes for which he was well known and well respected as senator such as the war against illegal drugs," said Gabriel Claudio, presidential political adviser. He said Sotto’s experience and wisdom on anti-drug campaigns and operations can contribute to the country’s drive towards political stability and economic growth. Sotto earlier said he would not return to the opposition after his defeat and that he was willing to be involved in the government’s anti-drug campaign. Sotto, however, will have to wait for at least one year before he can get an appointment from Malacañang. The law only allows candidates to hold government posts a year after the elections where they participated. - GMANews.TV