Transcript of interview with Sen. Kiko Pangilinan

Q: Do you have the support of the Mayor?

A: Well, lahat ng ating mga local officials talagang nililigawan natin so sana makuha natin ang mga suporta ng ilang mga ( )napapalaang mga opisyal. So kaya rin tayo'y umiikot dahil isa sa mga mataong lugar din ang municipal hall, o city hall sa iba't ibang parte ng Pilipinas ganun naman ang strategy natin, kasama yung pagbisita at courtesy call sa ating mga lokal na opisyal.

Q: Are local politicians more receptive to independent candidates?

A: Well let's put it this way, ang mga lokal na opisyal, marami diyan ay namimili rin ng kanilang kandidato. May phenomenon na by and large hindi sila nagse-straight voting. Yun ang aking experience in 2001. May mga sumisingit-singit. So base na rin sa kani-kanilang mga chairs, sa kani-kanilang mga konsultasyon siguro, marahil ito ay nasasakupan. So we hope na kung ganun ang magiging pasya na ilang mga local na opsiyal, eh yun na nga, sana maisingit din tayo bilang independent candidate.

Q: But do you think it is an adavantage bilang independent candidate pag nanliligaw ng mga local offcials?

A: Merong advantage, merong disadvantage. It's really a case-to-case basis. Merong advantage dahil isa ka lang, at di kailangang salin lahat ika nga, in my case dalawa kami, si Noynoy and myself. So dalawa lang out of 12. So parang madaling( ). Of course may disadvantage kasi meron talagang mga lokal na opisyal naman na talagang hardline partyliners. But it's a case-to-case basis. Hopefully mas marami yung hindi gaanong ka-hardline at iisipin nilang pwedeng pagbigyan iba pang mga tulad natin.

Q: If you compare it with your campaign in 2001 and now you're an independent

A: Mas madali nun dahil administration. Mas madali nun. ( ) Ngayon, kailangang gapangin, kailangang pakiusapan. But in the end I think mas marami paring nagmi-mix, mas marami parin ang namimili ng composed from all the ( ), so hopefully sana ganun din ang mangyari this year.

Q: On relationship with GO

A: There's no bitterness, there's no anger. If we are to describe what happened it was a mutually agreed upon decision na mas mabuti nang we go our separate ways habang maaga pa para hindi na nga madagdagan pa ng strain. So I think this is an amicable settlement, if you will, yung nasabing aksyon. And like I said, I respect their decision, and I understand it and I accepted it, and I am also thankful na meron ding ilan sa UNO na nirerespeto din ang ating desisyon. So there is mutual respect din naman sa isa't isa. At makakaasa parin naman sila like I said on issues, walang problemang magkapit-bisig. Tulad nalang ng nabanggit mo, halimbawa etong Melo report. May nagsasabi sa UNO na dapat iharap ito sa publiko. And I fully support that. I agree with that stand and I support that stand the Melo report should be made public. It's a matter of public interest and we have to get to the bottom of the killings. One way of achieving that is, kung it paints a bad picture sa ating Pamahalaan, so be it. Pero ang importante dito ay ang katotohanan.

Q: Do you also think its electioneering cutting back electricity rates?

A; In this case, I have to look into that. Posible, posibleng hindi. I have to look into the Napabalitaan ko lang kaya I'll have to look into the circumstances behind it. Although it may not come as a surprise to me kung ganun nga, isa sa mga posibleng layunin ay dahil sa halalan. Hindi ako masusurpresa kung may koneksyon, pero hindi ko rin masasabing categorically na wala.

Q: Paano na yung campaign ninyo now that you're flying solo and have been dropped from the GO?

A: GI na nga ako eh, Genuine Independent. Ok naman, basta kailangan lang talaga magsipag. At kailangan lang puntahan lahat. But yung flexibility, for example, from Thursday to Sunday, we covered 8 provinces and 3 cities in 4 days. So medyo mas mabilis ang ating ability to reach out. Because we're traveling light, ika nga. Wala tayong maraming bagahe, wala tayong maraming entourage, because we travel light, we are able to cover more ground.