Roque on Sotto's Lupang Hinirang tweak: Palace has more important problems

Malacañang isn't too keen on Senate President Tito Sotto's proposed change in the lyrics of  the Philippine national anthem.

At a news conference on Thursday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said it was up to Congress to decide on the matter as the executive branch had more pressing concerns.

"Iniiwan na po namin iyan sa Kongreso, mas maraming mas matitinding problema na dapat harapin. Bahala na po ang Kongreso diyan," Roque said.

Sotto broached the idea of changing the "defeatist" lines in the national anthem while interpellating Senator Richard Gordon on Monday on his proposal to add a ninth ray to the sun on the Philippine flag.

The Senate leader was referring to the lines: “Aming ligaya na 'pag may mang-aapi, ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo.”

“Patay na agad e. I have thought of a line that could replace this: ‘Aming ligaya na pag may nang-aapi, ang ipaglaban kalayaan mo’,” he said.

Sotto admitted that the matter had bugged him for years. —NB, GMA News