Press Release
July 30, 2009

Transcript of the Majority Leader at the Kapihan sa Senado

SJMZ: Probably to start the forum today, I would like to just announce that we have approved several bills itong last three days na nag-session kami. Of the three days we were able to approve the pet bill of Sen. Enrile, our Senate President iyong Reduction of Government Share from Indigenous Energy Resources. Ito iyong pagtanggal po sa ating mga electricity bills itong 60-percent tax on indigenous resources. Meron palang nakasampa doon na parang 60-percent additional tax on geother, not geothermal but rather natural gas na kinukuha po natin sa Malampaya kaya napakataas po ng kuryente natin. Kapag tinanggal po iyan ang plano po ni Sen. Enrile bababa po ng almost, kin-compute niya po almost 30-percent ang ating electric bills.

Host: Iyon ba iyong mga pulang bloke doon sa commercial?

SJMZ: Opo. Iyon po iyon. Napakataas e that is the royalty tax. The other one that we passed the other day iyong Delinquent Condonation on Delinquent Social Security Contributions. Magandang po ito po dahil ito ay pag-iisipan natin dahil bilyon-biyon po ang utang ng mga small and medium enterprises sa SSS. Small and medium lang ito. Ang kagandahan po nito ay dahil sa napakataas po iyong penalties at iyong surcharges hindi po nila kayang i-on date or up-to-date ang kanilang SSS contributions. Kaya ang nangyayari iyong iba nagsara na lang, iyong iba talagang ni-layoff iyong mga trabahante nila dahil nga po nila kayang bayaran itong penalties and surcharges. With the Condonation of this they can now be on line and on street to pay their SSS contributions. So ito po ay para sa small and medium scale enterprises. The third is itong isa sa magaganda po nating measures iyong Donation of Food for Charitable Purposes. Apparently, pinagbabawal ang pagbigay ng donation ng mga restaurants at hotels sa mahihirap dahil unang-una may safety problem. Kung magkaroon po ng diarrhea iyong binigyan ng institution baka kasuhan ng katakot-takot itong hotel na ito or restaurant. So, this answers the safety concerns but also the legality of being able to donate. So, puwede na po silang magdonate ng pagkain. Alam naman po natin Mc Donalds at Jollibee araw-araw ang daming nasasayang na tinatapon lang po na cheeseburgers, french-fries at bread and beef, tinatapon lang po iyan. Also, we approved this is for our Muslim brothers in-approve po namin ang creation of the second Muslim Holiday for the Philippines, this is the Eid'l Adha. This is the end of the Eid'l Fitr kasi Eid'l Fitr is the beginning of the Ramadan, Eid'l Adha is the end of the Ramadan. So, approved na po namin iyan within the next month or so, magiging batas na po siya. Also, we also agreed to approve on third reading the commemoration of the victory of Lapu-Lapu, April 27, 1521. Ang may-akda po nito ay si Sen. Gordon. Ang sabi po niya bakit namin ginagawa ito dahil lahat po ng ating holidays are recognition of our defeat The Fall of Bataan, Fall of Manila, ano pa? Namatay si Rizal, lahat ng national heroes' natin na namatay lahat iyan ay ginagawa natin holiday. But this particular day nanalo po ang isang Filipino kalaban ang isang dayuhan. So, I think this is a good measure to be approved into law. Also, we approved in the plenary this is the National Sport of the Philippines, as well as the Charter of the Girl Scout of the Philippines. We also, approved two log bans in Southern Leyte and Negros Occidental and several local bills, franchises and schools.

Host: Sir, if I May cut you in. I'm sure the guys have been furnished of this. I'd like to go to what we were talking about earlier. During the SONA, President Arroyo asked Congress in particular to give priority to a number of bills. Of course some would have to come first from the House but � the Senate can start ...

SJMZ: Well the president had asked the approval of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, iyong DICT, iyong amendments to the BSP charter hiningi din ni presidente iyon. Iyan ay pending na. Meron na po tayong committee report. I believe meron ng committee report na ilalabas, sa committee on banks at si Sen. Chiz po in-charge dito. Ang pangatlo, Sin Taxes. Itong sin taxes ay manggagaling po sa House of Representatives it's not from us. But I can tell you now, many of our colleagues, marami po sa ating mga kasamahan dito sa senado, nag-caucus po kami nun Tuesday. Marami po sa ating mga kasamahan ay hindi po sangayon na magkaroon po ng bagong buwis sa ating mga kababayan or mag-akda ng new taxes, whatever it maybe sin taxes or others. So, it may have difficult time in the Senate. Itong SNITS, Signified Net Income Tax ito po ay tinali ni presidente sa ating Paglaum Fund. Ito iyong Panay Island Rehabilitation Fund. Hindi namin mailabas-labas iyon kung hindi mai-approve itong SNITS. The problem with SNITS medyo ang matatamaan po dito ang professionals. Many professionals, I believe doctors, lawyers, architects, those professions would be hit and our Senate President has reservations on this program. So, maganda naman po iyong explanation niya and I think in another time we will ask him personally to clarify this. The National Budget. Ito napaka-importante po nito siguro iilang buwan na lang maiiwan bago tayo mag-October break maybe two full months, August and September, I believe sabi ni Sen. Angara sasabayan niya po iyong hearings ng House. Hindi naman, or wala naman po nagbabawal sa atin na magkaroon ng joint hearings, what is important is that we cannot approve the budget ahead of the House. The House will approved the budget, dadalhin nila sa ating but by that time tapos na tayo sa committee hearings dahil diyan po iyong bakbakan, diyan ay medyo matagal. So, we're planning to start the hearings hopefully on August. Ang problema natin ay hindi pa nai-sa-submit ng Malacanang ang ating national budget. Ang pakiusap po natin sa Malacanang ay sana mapadali ang inyong pag-submit ng national budget kasi kung hindi baka mahuli ang ating approval nito. Unang-una papasok po tayo sa election fever by November. I think and I believe ang conventions, the Comelec has agreed already that the national conventions for political parties will start on October, so paano iyon? Election fever na iyon kailangan natin mtapos ang budget. So, paging Sec. Andaya of the DBM and the executive department please pass this budget over to the lower house and to the Senate for our pursuant and for our review. Next is humingi po siya ng additional policemen. Iyan po ay madadagdag natin sa national budget. Ika-pito ang hiningi po niya ang Disaster Risk Management Bill. Itong DRM Bill is now pending on the floor for second reading. Tatapusin po natin iyan. Iyong pang-walo ang hiningi po niya ang Climate Change Commission may bicam report na po kahapon tinapos namin. Baka by next week ma-ratify na po natin itong batas creating a commission for climate change.

Host: Ano nga iyong nauna sir? DICT?

SJMZ: Department of Information and Communication Technology, ito iyong DICT.

Host: Diyan ba sana papasok iyong ZET Broadband kung hindi nabiliyaso?

SJMZ: (laughs) Siguro, siguro po diyan nila ilalagay iyon and I think they are in charge of modernizing, streamlining, making efficient our IT equipment for all government offices and agencies. That's probably the whole concept of this Department of Information and Communication and Technology.

Host: Final question from my end. What about sir iyong mga nakabitin na Senate investigations? Ang dami noon?

SJMZ: Well alam naman po natin dito each senator, each chairman is the king of their committee. We can only ask and send representation kung kalian matatapos ang mga hearings nila, but at the end of the day sila din ang magde-desisyon. I know there are several pending but the Senate President has already asked all of them na to wrap up their investigations, to wrap up the committee reports para ma-submit na for plenary. Ilan na lang kasing buwan ang naiiwan at sinabi mo nga Mang Jun and you're correct. It's almost maybe six months or less, anim na buwan na lang ang naiiwan sa legislative calendar natin after that magkakaroon na po ng election fever. I'll give you an example ang proposed schedule po natin is October 16 magbe-break tayo, so tuloy-tuloy ngayon. October 16 may three week break, babalik po tayo ng November 8 for All Souls, All Saints Day break iyan. Actually, usually isang buwan po iyan ginawa na lang namin three weeks para mas mahaba-haba ang trabaho natin. After that the next break will be on December 18, and then babalik po tayo ng January, if I'm not mistaken second week of January and then magkakaroon po ng break ng February. Isang buwan lang po iyong trabaho natin diyan and that usually to ratify the national budget. February may break po tayo. Iyan iyong proposed break. Sa February magbe-break po tayo for the campaign until May after the elections. I believe it is the third week of May babalik po tayo from the third week of May to the first week of June that is to proclaim the new president. And then magkaka-break na naman tayo, first week of June hanggang SONA. So kung titingnan natin napaka-ikli na lang iyong panahon na naiiwan sa atin. Napaka-ikli that's why it's very important that we rush, that we work on this measures right away.

Host: Actually, dagdag lang sir unang tanong I was actually thinking about the hearings and so-called scandals involving this outgoing president. Kapag matatapos na iyong term niya nine years of the role na walang tuldok as they say through the very scandals hindi ba parang bitin?

SJMZ: Correct. That's true though closure ika nga but again I don't want to pick fights with my chairmen kasi siyempre lahat sila ay mga chairmen ng kani-kanilang committees and I'd like to give them their leeway, but according to our meeting last Tuesday many of them are wrapping up their committee reports. Iyong pending nga sa aking committee on rules iyon request ni Sen. Trillanes on video-conferencing and we will be coming out very soon probably next week, meron na rin kaming committee report. But I cannot divulge the findings of the committee report until I have the final version.

Cue: But sir favorable ba kay Sen. Trillanes?

SJMZ: Hindi naman. Hindi naman. Let's put it this way the agreement was if the court will allow it, then we will allow it. Who are we to question the court?

Host: There was talked of teleconferencing di ba?

SJMZ: Yes that is the one. Humingi po siya ng teleconferencing. Ang ilalabas po natin sa committee report that the rules of the Senate. We'll maybe I can give you a preview already cause anyway lalabas naman ito on proper time. The Rules, we can amend, we will amend the Rules of the Senate to allow video-teleconferencing for involuntary detention for our members if the court will allow it. Kasi siyempre maski na pumayag naman tayo kapag hindi pumayag iyong judge wala rin pong mangyayari. So, ang punto diyan kapag pumayag iyong judge for this particular case ibibigay po natin sa kanya iyong video-teleconferencing.

Cue: So, may request na napadala sa court?

SJMZ: Wala pa. I don't think so.

Cue: ... Committee report

SJMZ: Hindi po kami ang magre-request iyong kampo niya ang magre-request. Kami lang ay papayag kapag pumayag ang korte ready po iyong equipment.

Cue: How about iyong CARP sir?

SJMZ: CARP kasi kahapon kinausap ko si Sen. Honasan iyong ating sponsor, hindi pa siya ready for CARP ratification. So, I believe by next week matatapos natin ito, mara-ratify na po natin iyong CARP by next week.

Cue: Ano ba iyong inaasikaso ...

SJMZ: Hindi ko alam. I have no clue anong problema nila sa CARP. I think Sen. Honasan had some clarificatory questions on the House version pero in-approved na po nila kahapon so, I guess it's moot and academic they'll end up approving the same version by next week.

Host: Magkano nga sir iyong pinapa-condone na hindi nababayaran?

SJMZ: Actually meron pong Magandang proposal si Pangulong Arroyo doon sa SONA niya. Gusto po niyang i-condone lahat ng utang ng mga CARP beneficiaries. Alam mo ang problema kasi sa CARP mga kapatid akala mo masayang-masaya na iyong binigyan ng titulo pero ang problema binigyan mo siya ng utang. Kasi pagbigay mo ng titulo may kasamang utang iyon binabayaran iyon sa Land Bank. I think corresponding how many hundreds of thousands per family kasi siyempre bibilhin ng Land Bank sa iyo iyan voluntary offer to sell, so ibibigay po nila iyang 20 hectares na iyan sa limang pamilya na magkakaroon ng corresponding na utang. So, this is about P28 billion or P30 billion, ang suggestion ni Pangulong Arroyo which is a great suggestion let us pass legislation if possible kung hindi niya kaya on her level to condone all the titles para maibigay po natin iyong mga titulo sa mga magsasaka. Kasi iyong mga CARP beneficiaries na iyon hindi naman nila hawak iyong titulo nila. It's a document that says na ang titulo niyo ay nasa Land Bank. So, i-condone po iyon para mabuhay muli iyong Rural Property Market Sector. Maganda po iyon kasi hawak na nila iyong mga titulo ng lupa.

Host: Pero nandoon din sir iyong danger na kapag hahawakan iyong titulo ibebenta lang iyon?

SJMZ: Well eventually ganoon din mangyayari po maibibigay nila, mababayaran po nila iyong utang nila ganoon din ang mangyayari. Ang nangyayari ngayon sa CARP very unfortunately ilagay natin 40 percent of CARP lands ay wala na po sa kamay ng nabigyan nating beneficiaries. Ang nanyari bumalik na naman muli sa mga mayari or ang nakabili mga bagong mayari na po mga Chinese Filipinos, mga businessmen, sila pong nakakuha. So that's the sad truth of the matter.

Host: Question?

Cue: Walang chance sin taxes?

SJMZ: Hindi naman walang chance mahihirapan lang. First of all mahihirapan din yata ito sa House of Representatives kasi there's a strong lobby against this in the House of Representatives dahil alam mo naman the powers that be, ayaw po nila ito. Big businessmen are against this. Big conglomerates are against this measure.

Cue: ... Not audible

SJMZ: In the Senate naman. Kasi sa senado naman e, katulad ni Pia Cayetano, katulad nila Loren na anti-smoking naman iyong mga iyan hindi naman po sila papayag na may bubulong sa kanila at sasabihin sa kanila na huwag gawin iyon. Many of us are very independent. Ako, I support Sin Taxes. I support 100 percent Sin Taxes. I am not a smoker, I only drink occasionally pero mahihirapan lang ito dahil ang problema ay matatamaan sa bagong sin tax measure ay ang masa dahil ang plano yata ay i-expand ang base, ang tax base ng mga cigarette manufacturers. Right now kasi iyong imported cigarette brands mataas ang buwis, ang local cigarette brands mababa iyong buwis. I think ang plano dito sa new sin tax measure ay gawin patas lahat, so eventually iyong local brands ay tataas din ang presyo. So, you're looking at Juan Dela Cruz na naninigarilyo tataas po ng halos doble iyong kanilang babayaran at maraming matatamaan doon. Ang problema hindi lang, hindi, sa atin dito hindi problema ang lobby ang atin dito is more of what the people will think, say, and what the people will feel. I believe this new senate administration or leadership had made a promise na no new taxes, so iyon yun. No new taxes.

Cue: Sir according to ways and means committee chairman Panfilo Lacson kasalanan daw ng Pangulo bakit hindi maganda iyong six tax na umiiral ngayon. May pinaburan na dalawang local cigarette manufacturer?

SJMZ: Well I'm not privy to that. Kasi I think ang sinasabi po ni Sen. Lacson iyong meeting nila ni Sen. Ralph Recto, but I'm not privy to that meeting so I'd rather not comment. Pero kung pinapaburan niya bakit naman, ako naman personally my line of thinking kung pinaburan niya dati iyon bakit po niya gustong i-amend ngayon at pahirapan itong dalawang kumpanya na iyan. So, I think the problem really was extreme lobby on all sides. Expect my friends pagdating ng sin tax talagang maraming magtatawag sa mga congressmen at senador na huwag ipasa ito.

Host: At malapit na ang eleksyon

SJMZ: Opo.

Host: Iyong mga magtatawag na iyan, iyan ang tinatakbuhan for help.

SJMZ: That is correct. But personally I'll tell you now, personally I will support it. On the record I will support sin tax.

Cue: Sir iyong mga ido-donate na food iyong mga left-over, iyong lumampas ...

SJMZ: Under the law kasi ang DOH, ito iyong pinasa po nating Senate Bill 150 meron pong guidelines na isasagawa ang Department of Health on the donated food. Siyempre hindi puwede iyong dalawang araw, hindi puwede iyong isang araw ng lumipas. Ito po ay magkakaroon ng implementing rules and regulations kung saan within how many hours sa paggawa ng pagkain at hindi po kinain puwede pong sunduin ng mga charitable institutions para ipakain sa ating mga kababayan.

Cue: Anong safeguard na baka may biglang kumain na sumakit iyong tiyan or something so liable iyong nag-donate ng food?

SJMZ: Well puwede din naman mangyari iyon kapag kumakain tayo sa restaurant. So iyong problema na iyan ay possible at any point in time not only with donated food. I think what we're trying to kaya pinasa natin ito para sa liability clause. Iyong hindi sila liable masyado maybe there are some penalties depende on the handling of food. Kasi kung tinapon naman nila sa basura tapos pinulot nila uli sa basura binigay sa tao liable sila doon dahil siyempre na-contaminate iyong pagkain. Pero importante yata dito iyong handling. Biro mo kapatid no may Mc Donalds at Jollibee sa buong Pilipinas pati yata Basilan meron na, iyong Isabela, Basilan kung maraming mahihirap doon na hindi nakakain iyong mga pagkain na French fries nakakalat lang doon hindi pa nabebenta kapag binigay po iyan sa mga street children, kapag binigay po iyan sa institutions doon na nagpapakain sa mahihirap I think mas kaunti siguro ang gutom sa ating bansa. I believe that's a great idea. Hindi ko masasagot sa ngayon yun liabilities but I know it lessens the liabilities kaya nga ipinapasa natin ito. Hindi nila ginagawa iyong donations sa pagkain ngayon dahil natatakot silang makasuhan kung may mangyari. So dapat nga may implementing rules and regulations ang DOH at BFAD.

Cue: Iyong mga estribo gang na sumama doon sa biyahe?

SJMZ: Well (laughs) alam mo ang problema diyan may separation talaga iyong executive tsaka iyong legislative. Iyong gustong sumama sa presidential trip iyan po sumisipsip sa speaker ng House of Representatives na sasama kami. It is the discretion of the speaker on who should go or who should stay. So the speaker should practice prudence sa ganitong klaseng mga biyahe dahil pangit din tignan. Ako iyong last official visit ko kasama si presidente was Spain. Sumama po ako sa kanya dahil pumirma po kami ng Biofuels projects halos tatlo sa Espanya for the Philippines na ginagawa na po ngayon. After that hindi na po ako sumama, sa Brazil niyaya po ako dahil sa Biofuels hindi na po ako sumama dahil alam ko matatamaan at magagalit po ang taong bayan sa atin kaya hindi na po kami sumasama. But that is the responsibility of every individual senator or congressmen because baka meron naman silang agenda bakit sila sasama doon. I know for example our dear senator, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago sumasama kay presidente because she is the chair of foreign affairs committee. Since chairman siya ng foreign affairs committee siya po ang counterpart natin dito for DFA Sec. Romulo, so she is quite important in the entourage. Pero iyong sa iba tulad ng sinabi mo kanina sana hindi na lang sumama. Ganun talaga ang buhay.

Cue: Si Lito Lapid anong agenda?

SJMZ: Hindi ko alam iyon. Tanungin niyo na lang iyon or amusement

Host: Sir totoo ba itong ano? Kasi 22 ang sasama sa House, official list kuno? But it also says there plus their espouses who will be going there at their own expense. Totoo ba iyon?

SJMZ: Ah yes. Under the Rules of the Senate and the House bawal po bayaran ng senador at iyong kongreso ang per diem, allowance, tickets, outside of the particular person, the congressman or the senator. So bawal po iyong kung babayaran po ng senado or kongreso iyong kanilang tickets at ang kanilang expenses dapat iyan ay personal expense nila. Usually kasi may mga hotel rooms sila sinasama na lang nila iyong mga asawa nila so nakaligtas sila sa pagbabayad ng hotel room dahil kasama naman nila ang mga asawa nila.

Cue: Kasama sa biyahe si Gibo tsaka si Bayani Fernando hindi kaya mag-uunahana iyon para sa bendisyon ni Obama?

SJMZ: Si Sec. Gilbert Teodoro ay dapat naman talaga sumama dahil ang paguusapan ay terrorism, anti-terrorism measures remember the Indonesian bombing incident a month ago kung saan two American chains ay binomba ng Jemaah Islamiyah. So napaka-lapit po niyan sa atin dito ngayon.

Cue: Si Bayani anong papel?

SJMZ: Baka titignan po niya iyong design ng Washington DC para magawa po niya dito sa Pilipinas. Uy bakit maganda iyong master plan ng Washington DC

Cue: not audible ...

SJMZ: For senators? Wala at our expense iyon dahil sama-sama na sa allowance na iyon e. Di ba we're given a lump sum allowance for travel kasama na iyon. We do not get over and above.

Cue: ... not audible

SJMZ: Hindi ko alam tanungin niyo si Cely iyong aking staff

Cue: Kailangan bang ubusin niyo iyon?

SJMZ: Hindi naman. Kapag hindi namin ginamit binabalik namin iyon. Kaya di ba si Sen. Joker may savings palagi? Kanya-kanyang savings din iyon.

Cue: ... Not audible

SJMZ: Kapag mga ganoon, MOOE bumabalik sa senado iyon e.

Host: Sir nasa politics na rin lang tayo kailan ba ang convention ng Pinagisang Kampi at Lakas? And kabit ko na iyong question, when do you expect the vice president to join if at all he will join the merge party?

SJMZ: Let me answer first the (tape cut)

Host: Dahil sa lahat ng survey lalong bumubulusok iyong acceptance or popularity ni ano?

SJMZ: Hindi ko naman sinasabi malaking impuwensiya sa publiko pero sa partido kasi kung magkaroon ng one delegate, one vote malaking bagay po iyong basbas ni Pangulong Arroyo doon sa convention.

Host: Hindi ba sir nangyari iyan last election sa Us that everybody was almost distancing himself or herself from George Bush dahil si George Bush talagang ayaw na ng mga kano.

SJMZ: Yes pero at the end of the day alam mo strategy din po iyan. Alam mo kapag maraming tatakbong opposition. Kung lima ang tatakbong oposisyon may chance po iyong isang naiwang administration candidate baka puwedeng lumusot. I'm looking at a president who will win by only less than 20 percent of the vote. Alam mo ang mangyayari diyan siguro iyong kandidato na mananalo sa pagka-pangulo siguro, 18 or 17 percent iyong agwat nila by hundreds of thousands kaya very crucial itong automated polls. And if that is the case, malaking chance po iyong malawak ang makinarya. Kasi kung made-deliver nila kahit paano iyong boto kasi hindi naman nila sasabihin na hindi ka mananalo dito sa probinsya boss pero I can deliver 20 percent of the vote of the province e, iyong balance na 80 percent pinag-aawayan ng limang opposition. So, there could be a particular chance or there could be a possible chance where the administration candidate could come in unless the opposition unites. Because the way I look at it there will be a candidate from NP, there will be a candidate from Liberal, there will be a candidate from NPC and there will be a candidate from UNO. So, apat po sila kapag isa po ay administration kahit paano may chance po iyon.

Host: So pero hindi pa rin pala makaka-landslide pala si Bayani Fernando? (laughs)

SJMZ: Love ko si Bayani Fernando kayo talaga.

Cue: Kung limited na lang kay Vice President De Castro, Gibo at MMDA Chairman iyong pagpipilian so hindi na kasama si Gordon?

SJMZ: Let me rephrase that Sen. Gordon is still a viable candidate for the administration, but he'll have to join like everybody else. And I've spoke to him. I'm very close to him. I will see him at 12 noon for my Red Cross Board meeting. He is still a very welcome member of the party. We have not let go of him. Sen. Gordon is still a very influential and very close friend to the party even if he see himself as independent tumakbo siya noon 2004 as Lakas-CMD.

Host: Pero requirement iyong sir? He'll have to join the merged party?

SJMZ: That would be the best scenario kasi kung hindi aalma po iyong tatlo.

Cue: Not audible ...

SJMZ: Ang problema, well, Erap is a big threat. Malaking threat po iyan pagdating po eleksyon. Malaki po ang posibilidad na mananalo si Erap at malakas pa rin siya kahit paano. At kapag umiikot po siya napakaraming fans na kumakamusta sa kanya at kumakamay sa kanya. Pero you have to take in effect sinabi ko nga limang posibilidad na tumakbo na partido, NP, LP, NPC, UNO, you have Lakas-KAMPI and then you have the independents lagay natin si Fr. Panlilio tumakbo then you have Bro. Eddie Villanueva kung siya ay tumakbo then you will have about seven or eight candidates the most. So, we're really looking at a minority president. Alam mo sana kapag magkaroon ng amendments sa constitution later on after the elections kung ire-retain natin iyong presidential system ilagay po natin sa presidential system may run-off elections tayo. One month after the election mag-eleksyon tayo uli pero top two na lang. So kung sino ang magiging top two iyan po ay ipagra-rumble natin, laban ulit and then whoever gets the majority will win.

Host: Iyong runoff kasi may certain percentage lang kung anong laman ng number one sa number two di ba?

SJMZ: Hindi po basta kung walang nakakuha ng 51 percent during the day of the elections that means the top two regardless of how far iyong kanilang agwat will run again.

Cue: His decision will largely depends on the support that he will get from President Arroyo, can you comment on that?

SJMZ: Yes like what I said earlier malaking bagay po iyan dahil kung siya po ay binigyan ng basbas ni President Arroyo. Definitely when there is a delegates convention malaking bagay po iyon. Kasi siyempre if the lieutenants of the president whisper down the line and say iyan po ang gusto ni Pangulong Arroyo malaking bagay po iyon. So, that's what he's trying to say. He needs the supports of the president to be able to lead the party kasi he needs a delegates vote if we have an election during the convention.

Cue: Pinag-usapan ba sa caucus ng majority iyon resumption ng investigation ng committee of the whole?

SJMZ: Ah yes ang caucus. I think they are waiting for Sen. Madrigal to complete her witness lists and the witnesses but sa tingin ko isa po sa mga sinabi ko kanina iyon we will not leave this committee reports and investigations hanging. I think matutuloy po iyan by next week. Magkakaroon po ng set schedule by next week. I do not know if it will be next week already or maybe the week after. And it came out in the papers today, in-absuwelto po namin si Sen. Villar on a particular case, so it just goes to say na hindi naman po tayo lahat ay guilty as charge iyong mga kasong pinapasa kay Sen. Villar. So we have signed, all six of us, or six signatures have signed unanimously to dismiss a particular case of Sen. Villar and also the one with Sen. Gordon kasi nga may Supreme Court decision na po that states clearly that there is no violation of any provision of law to join the Red Cross and still be with the government.

Cue: Sabi ni Sen. Lacson draft pa rin iyon until ma-adopt?

SJMZ: Pero hindi na siguro namin babawiin iyong mga signatures namin doon. Ang importante kasi nakapa-pirma na po kami doon. Iyong promulgation is just a mere formality.

Cue: Bakit hindi yata uma-attend iyong dating uma-attend?

SJMZ: In fairness to Sen. Loren kasama ko po siya ginawa namin iyong bicam ng Climate Change Commission the other gentlemen and ladies hindi ko na po alam sila at that time.

Cue: Na-file na ba iyong contempt charges vs. Koko?

SJMZ: Yes I filed contempt charges against Atty. Koko.

Cue: According to Koko another delaying tactic ito?

SJMZ: How can it be another delaying tactic. Ako naman. I don't want to give anymore figures or comments kasi baka ako pama-file ng contempt. Ang akin lang naman is may gag order talaga, very clear February 21, 2009 may SET resolution na nagsasabi both parties should refrain from taking this to the media until the final SET order has come out. He clearly violated that gag order and he came out with figures that are not substantiated and that is the evidence na binigay po namin sa SET and hopefully in the next en banc meeting, I believe it is August 6, they can come up with the decision whether i-reprimand siya, i-contempt siya. I think he just wants to put this out in public para meron po siyang media exposure.

Cue: Hindi niyo napapag-usapan ni Sen. Pimentel?

SJMZ: Ah kami, alam mo kami ng tatay, we have the best professional work ethic ever. Pagdating sa plenaryo hindi po namin pinag-uusapan iyong personal issues namin. And if you notice palagi ko siyang nilalapitan. I consult with him. I seek his advice on many issues. Alam mo nasasayangan lang naman ako dahil malapit na malapit po ako kay Sen. Pimentel. Our families are very close to their family for whatever it is worth I have the highest respects for the father because he was our Mindanao leader for many, many years. Nasasayangan lang talaga ako na it has gone to this for me and his son are fighting on personal issues. Sana hindi naman po nagkaganito. Ako naman po naniniwala na one this still all be resolved.

Cue: Sir you can say thing on his son?

SJMZ: I'm not very close to the son. Pero very close po ang tatay ko and Sen. Pimentel and nasasayangan talaga kami with that na it has to lead to this but blood is ticker than water anong magagawa po natin. Blood is ticker than water. Ang akin lang naman I hope one that it will all be resolved and we can work together in the future. So that is our hope.

Host: Sir, finally for the record, is it safe to say that you are one of the stalwarts of the merged party who is not in favor of what your colleagues are doing in the House and that is push Cha-Cha?

SJMZ: Absolutely. I categorically state this today that we are not in favor of a shift or change of the constitution at this particular time. Let me state also that I am for charter change pero hindi ngayon. I am for charter change after the election of the new president and done the correct way which is a constitutional convention. Magkaroon po tayo ng halalan na kung saan ang taong bayan po ang pipili ng kanilang delegates for their constitutional convention. Hindi po ako sangayon na gagawin po natin ngayon ito unang-una wala na po tayong panahon. Pangalawa, we will be suspect to many, many actuations or many, many allegations of promoting self-interest. Kaya gusto ko po ConCon dahil kung tayo politiko tatanungin mo sasabihin ko bakit 6 years lang iyong Senado gawin natin 8 years. Bakit three years lang iyong congressman gawin natin 6 years. It will be tinkering with provisions that I believe will be unethical and immoral to tinker with because it will be self-serving. Ibigay po natin iyan sa ConCon at huwag po ngayon. Let's give it to the new president, whoever he or she will be that will push with this charter amendments.

Cue: Bakit iyong mga kaalyado niyo sa House pinipilit pa rin?

SJMZ: Hay matitigas iang ulo ng iba doon. Kinakausap ko nga, ano pang magagawa natin talagang ang ibang doon ay talagang matitigas ang ulo. Alam mo iba kasi ang dynamics ng House, iba iyong dynamics sa Senate. The Senate listens to the public at large, we listen to all sectors, public at large, the House of Representatives deal with their constituents so maski ano pong sabihin nila for example if this congressman ay magmumura-mura sa kongreso hindi naman malalaman ng constituent niya iyong ginagawa niya. So, that's why nagmamatigas sila whereas us, we feel that at this point in time looking at the overall picture it is not the right moment.

Cue: If we are going to have a minority president do you see him to try to pay back iyong mga utang na loob?

SJMZ: That is the difficulty of the system that we have today. May

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