Transcript of ambush interview with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q: What can you say about the Congressman who was calling for a Constituent Assembly?

Q: Sir, pero pinigilan nila kasi it might appear daw po na talagang kailangan yung Senate sa pag-push po nung Cha-Cha.

SP I had an occasion to talk to them briefly when we were in the Batasan and they were talking of the possibility of transmitting the resolution to the Senate. It's up to you, I said. We will be ready to tackle the resolution, I will refer it to the proper committee. Yun lang.

Q: So they filed another resolution? Is that it?

Q: Yes Sir. Pero napigilan nga po raw. It was not really consummated.

SP You know I doubt that Pabling Garcia will do that, because I know Pabling Garcia is a good lawyer, a very able lawyer. Bar top-notcher yun eh. At saka ang thinking niya is that no constitutional amendment could be undertaken by Congress, without the participation of the Senate as a separate body. That's my understanding of what he told me.

Q: Sir, yung reaction ninyo po kasi nagpadala ng separate letter yung mga opposition kay Pres. Barack Obama against kay Pres. Arroyo.

SP Well, this is a free country. Even an ordinary citizen of the country can send a letter to Mr. Putin or Mr. Obama, to express an opinion, so it does not really matter.

Q: Sir, bakit hindi kayo sumama?

SP Ako? I did not receive any invitation.

SP Besides, even if I was invited I would have begged off because first, I have been informed by the US embassy that I could not use my visa to enter the United States since January of 2005. I've never gone to the United States ever since. In fact, I've never been to the United States for a long, long time and I do not really enjoy traveling. And besides, at my age I can no longer go with the pace of a presidential visit.

Q: Sir, among the Senators, sino po ang sumama?

SP I think the ones who were brought with the President are Sen. Lapid and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Q: Si Sen. Lapid Sir, ano ang magiging papel niya?

SP I do not know. There must be a reason why he was brought along. I am not privy to it.

Q: Sir, yung letter na yun ng mga former government officials kay Obama, di ba parang they are trying to send a message.

SP I do not know the contents of the letter.

Q: Parang they are reminding Obama na si presidente ay maraming mga katiwalian dito.

SP Well, I am sure that Pres. Barack Obama is a very discerning fellow Harvardian. So he will probably have his own conclusion about the letter.

Q: Sir, on the request of Malacañang on the withdrawal of the JBC list of nominees?

SP I asked a question about that yesterday, whether there were precedents, and there were precedents. And the Constitutional provision seems to suggest that Malacañang can ask for a greater number on the list. Because the Constitution simply says, at least three. So you can ask, give me five, give me seven names.

Q: Sir, statement for former Pres. Aquino? Kahapon guarded yung condition niya, pero ngayon stable na ulit?

SP Well, I will pray for her. She is in the hands of God.

Q: Sir, may binunyag po si Cong. Mikey Arroyo na isang opposition senator daw, humingi ng basbas kay Pres. Arroyo para maging standard bearer ng Administration.

SP I do not know of any such thing. So maybe siguro. Maraming mga senator dito eh na nagpapalano na magkandidato para sa pagkapresidente. Si Dick Gordon, Mar Roxas, si Manny Villar, si Chiz Escudero, si Loren Legarda, si Ping Lacson.

Q: Sir, pero marami daw din nagpapanggap na opposition when in fact they are also pro-administration.

SP Nagpapanggap? Sino?

Q: Sir, yun daw ho ang insinuation ni Mikey Arroyo.

SP Sino yung mga yun? Siguro ako, I work with whoever is in the executive department in the Palace, because that is the nature of my notion of what the Senate ought to be. For the good of the country. But I take a position on certain issues. I am not under the control of anybody.

Q: Sir, babalik po tayo sa Con-Ass issue. Ang Senado ba, nagbago na ng position, tatanggapin na yung Con-Ass?

SP Dadating tayo dun, syempre. Kung dumating yun, yun ang proseso namin. Na pag naaprubahan nila sa mababang kapulungan, dadalhin dito. Kung ano ang aprubahan namin dito, dadalhin namin doon.