Transcript of the joint press conference of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and Sen. Manny B. Villar Jr.

Opening statement of SP Drilon

As envisioned in our gentleman's agreement two years ago, I will nominate, and with the support of the majority coalition in the Senate, we will elect Senator Manny Villar as Senate President on July 24 when the Third Regular Session of the 13th Congress begins.

I do not do so with a heavy heart. I know I am entrusting that solemn and lofty task to a person, whom the record shows, is far more than equal to it.

I thank my colleagues, both current and former Senators, who have supported me as I presided over this prestigious chamber for the past five and a half years.

I am confident this transfer of the Senate leadership will usher a continuation of the Senate's role as a bulwark of democracy during these challenging times.

For, indeed, I have presided over the Senate during challenging times. It was during my term that some of the gravest threats to democracy arose. Sadly, those threats are not over, they are only getting worse.

As Senate President, I did my very best to defend democracy from the plots and designs of those who have tried to harm it. I have exerted every ounce of strength to defend the Senate from those who have tried to diminish its powers or remove it for being an obstacle to authoritarian rule.

I shall continue, in solidarity with Filipinos who believe in freedom and decency, to pursue the task of defending democracy. Ultimately, it is not the positions that people hold that lend strength to their task, it is the purity of their task that lends strength to the positions that they hold.

Again, I am not leaving the Presidency of the Senate with a heavy heart. I do so gladly in the knowledge that I could not be turning it over to a more able person. Sen. Villar's own contributions to defending democracy, or indeed to making this country a little more livable, are well known.

I am certain Sen. Villar will continue to maintain the Senate's position as a rampart of freedom in this country today. I am confident he will make the Senate soar to even greater heights.

Opening statement of Sen. Villar

Nais kong magpasalamat sa ating Pangulo ng Senado, kay Frank, na magkakaroon ng maayos na turn-over ng presidency ng Senado. Ito ay dahil sa suporta ng nakararaming mga senador sa Senado. Napakaraming hinarap na problema ang Senado nitong mga nakararaang taon. Ako ay humahanga sa ipinakita ng ating Senate president na pagtatanggol hindi lamang sa Senado kundi sa demokrasya ng ating bansa. Wala naman akong nakikitang magiging pagbabago diyan. Napakahalaga na ang institusyon ng Senado ay manatili. Sa programa, wala akong nakikitang pagbabago. Bagaman masyadong maaga para magbigay tayo ng statement sa bagay na iyan, dahil hindi pa naman tayo nahahalal na pangulo, subalit masasabi ko lamang, wala namang pagkakaiba iyan. Humahanga ako sa liderato ng ating Senate President Drilon. Ito ay ating pipilitin na sundan. Sana ay bigyan tayo ng pagkakataon na makapantay man lamang sa ipinakitang galing ng ating Senate president. Muli ako ay nagpapasalamat sa ating kaibigan na si Frank Drilon. Mananatiling nagkakaisa at buo ang ating Senado.

Q: You are turning over as if this is a done deal?

SPFMD: Between Manny and I, we can harness the support of the majority of the senators.

Q: Negotiations still ongoing?

SPFMD: Sorry po, wala kaming away dito.

Q: What will Senator Drilon's role be under Villar's Senate presidency? Will you be heading a major committee?

SPFMD: Iyan naman ay pinag-uusapan namin. Ang mga committee naman ay pinag-uusapan ng mayorya.

Q: Any advice you can give to Senator Villar, like maybe 'watch your back?'

SPFMD: NO such thing. Ang pagkakaiba nito, mukhang naghahanap kayo ng away. Walang away kami dito ni Manny.

Q: Hindi kaya makakahinga na ng maluwag ang Malacañang ngayon dahil hindi na ikaw ang Senate president?

SPFMD: Sila ang dapat tanungin ninyo, hindi ako.

Q: On the budget

SPFMD: Kanina, nagkunsultahan kaming dalawa ni Senator Villar. Kinunsulta ko si Sen. Villar bilang chairman ng Committee on Finance at tinanong ko kung puwede ko nang i-adjourn sine die ang session, tinanong ko si Sen. Villar kung ano ang tayo ng ating budget. Ang sagot sa akin ni Manny ay talagang sinisikap man na tapusin ang budget, ngunit hindi talaga kaya. Kaya ang aming napagkasunduan, i-adjourn ang session ngayong araw na ito kahit hanggang bukas pa theoretically, ang aming end of session. We end it today because even if we end it tomorrow, there will still be no bicam report. We end the session today without a bicam report. Sen. Villar has told me that during the break, he will continue to explore ways and means by which we can have a budget. But if nothing happens, given the threat of the President that she will veto any agreement that will not reinstate all the cuts, then if nothing happens in the bicam, we just have to live with the 2005 budget for the entire 2006.

Q: On the slash on reorganization fund

SPFMD: Isa sa aming binawas iyong P10 billion para sa reorganization ng gobyerno. Dahil hindi puwedeng magkaroon ng reorganisasyon kung walang batas. Sa ngayon, walang batas. Kaya matapos itong taong ito, hindi namin nakikita na maipapasa ang isang batas na nangangailangan ng pagtatanggal ng mga kawani sa pamahalaan na kailangan ang pondong P10 bilyon. We do not see an opportunity to enable us to pass a reorganization bill which will necessitate an allocation of P10 billion for reorganization and retirement benefits. This is the reason why among the major cuts that the Senate did was themk P10 billion. Because we do not see the necessity and use of this amount in 2006 since there is no enabling law.

Q: The EO on reorganization issued will not take effect?

SPFMD: That's not enough. You need an enabling law for a reorganization. Especially with a P10 billion fund, it contemplates a massive reorganization. Hindi iyong isa, dalawa o tatlong tao o posisyon lang ang ibabawas mo. Dahil P10 bilyon, talagang malawakang reorganisasyon ang tinitingnan. (end)