Press Release
May 26, 2009

Transcript of interview with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q: Sir, yung pag-reconsider n'yo dun sa resignation, is this for good? I mean, at any stage of the proceeding, you will not feel anymore the need to resign like you did yesterday?

SP: No. I just wanted to give my peers the flexibility and leeway to decide whether they want someone else to preside over the hearing. That's why I offered to resign. And I am going to discharge my duties here according to my best lights-my conscience and my notion of what is fair, just and impartial. And I will let all the members of the bar of this country, and all the members of the bench, and all the people who know the meaning of due process, to scrutinize the conduct of the proceedings and the evidence to be received by the Committee for evaluation to determine the innocence or guilt of the party concerned.

Q: Is there anything else that they could say that make you feel like...?

SP: I will not stop them from saying anything. But as I said, I will do my job regardless of what they say. And if the end brings me out right, well, a thousand angels swearing that I was wrong will make no difference.

Q: The next step would already be the adjudicatory hearing?

SP: It will be a full hearing, full blown hearing. I would suggest very earnestly to the respondent to send his lawyers, a battery of lawyers to represent him, to cross-examine the complainant, to scrutinize the documents being presented by the complainant and to test the credibility of any witness that will be presented by the complainant and all witnesses that will appear to testify in this case against the respondent.

Q: The fact that they did not participate in yesterday's preliminary conference would have no effect?

SP: It has no effect. It is their right to appear here and present their defense. And I encourage them, I'm begging them, I'm pleading with them, to present their evidence in this Committee, the Senate Committee of the Whole so that the rights will be properly evaluated and defended.

Q: Sir, how many complainants or witnesses ang naka-schedule?

SP: Isa lang ang complainant na nandyan. Si Senator Jamby Madrigal, hindi ko alam kung ilang witnesses ang ipe-presenta nila. Hindi ko alam kung yung mga dokumento na nasa preliminary report ay minarkahan na nila. Pero yun ay hindi pa ebidensya kontra kay Senator Villar sapagkat hindi pa nape-presenta sa Committee formally. Hindi pa namin sinasabi kung tatanggapin namin 'yon o hindi. Dahil kung may objection dun sa mga dokumento na 'yon kung may abogado si Senator Villar, we will evaluate the objection. Ngayon, kung wala siya at walang abogado at walang nag-oobject kahit pa man, titignan namin kung admissible or not yung mga ebidensya na 'yon. If he does not want to protect himself in the Ethics Committee, we will try to protect him, protect his interest.

Q: There was a suggestion before na parang kumuha ng Counsel if Senator Villar refuses to send his lawyers?

SP: I will not teach them how to defend themselves.

Q: Sir, is arraignment part of the hearing?

SP: Arraignment? There is no arraignment in this case. Arraignment is only in Criminal cases. This is not a Criminal case. This is an Ethics case. It is an exercise of the right of the Senate to discipline its members.

Q: Bakit 1 and 4 lang daw, Sir?

SP: Because we are going on a recess.

Q: No hearing during the recess?

SP: No hearings during the recess.

Q: Sir, half-day lang 'yon?

SP: It will be a whole-day hearing. The hearing will be half-day, may session pala kami. Yung Thursday ang whole-day.

Q: Sir, maihahabol po ba lahat ng mga bills tulad ng CARP?

SP: Oo, maglalamay kami.

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