Transcript of ambush interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

ON C-5 DOUBLE INSERTION HEARING

Q: Sir, yun bang mga subpoena ipapadala sa mga taga DPWH, BSP?

SP: We will subpoena them. This is an ethics hearing, they are not resource people.

Q: Sir, paano yung mga officers ng LBRMO, isusubpoena niyo rin para sa mga documents?

SP: Wala yun, kukunin namin sa proper office.

Q: Yun bang next week, yun ang last na hearing?

SP: Hindi pa. It will depend on the hearing. I cannot say that that will be the last.

Q: Sir, yun bang mga binanggit ni Sen. Jamby Madrigal na mga modus operandi nina Villar, yun yung isasangla ng halos nine times the amount ng lote?

SP: Yun ang sabi niya. Yun ang deklarasyon niya. Titingnan natin kung walang contradictory evidence.

Q: Sir, yung sinabi niya na yung pag-audit niya sa Central Bank was in 1999?

SP: Yes, but that is a part of this whole story e. Those things will not be taken against him because he was not yet a member of the Senate at that time. But we will just determine whether the statement of Senator Madrigal are true to fact. We will have to ask the Central Bank people if indeed the documents submitted by the good senator could be corroborated by their records. That the borrowing of money at that time will not be taken as a part of the ethical misconduct because he was not yet a part of the Senate at that time.

Q: Sir, what do you want from the BSP officials that will be tackled?

SP: To show whether those properties that were involved were indeed, like those three lots, part of the C-5 road right of way and were actually assigned to them, and why Adelfa, later on, when the realignment was done, sold those lots to the government. As a consequence, Adelfa properties were paid for the road right of way.

Q: Sir, remember in the previous time, magkaiba po ng mapa si Senantor Madrigal at si Senator Cayetano?

SP: Kaya nga pupuntahan namin e. Para makita.

Q: Sir, ano ang epekto ng patuloy na wala si Sen. Villar?

SP: Wala. Walang effect.

Q: Sir, bale ang sagot nito dun sa mga officials talaga sa DPWH? SP: Sila ang magpapatunay at magpapaliwanag kung bakit napalitan yung original alignment. Ano ba ang dahilan.

Q: Kung totoo ang sinasabi nila na those are actually two separate projects?

SP: Well, then, say so. We cannot introduce into the records any statement or evidence until they are here to make a statement. If they say that those are two separate projects, we'll find out from them.

Q: Sir, will there be any effect to the declaration of Senator Madrigal of running for the presidency?

SP: Nothing. If there is a political color, that will be a matter of defense. The truth is the truth. Whether or not she is a candidate for president, if what has been declared into the record is the truth, it matters not if she will be a candidate or not.

Q: Sir, so hindi magiging kwestiyonable yung intention ni Madrigal sa complaint?

SP: Hindi. The motive of the witness has nothing to do with it. That will be proper subject of cross examination if they want to cross examine her and show her bias. But if they will not cross examnine her, the Chair cannot recognize the fact.

Q: Sir, it will be up to the defense to raise it?

SP: Yes. It's within their right to use that for cross examination.

Q: Sir, nobody is preventing Senator Villar and his crew from attending the hearing?

SP: Senator Villar is free to come anytime or through lawyers of his own.

ON RECTO

Q: Sir, other issue, nagresign si Recto as NEDA Director General?

SP: Yes, I understand he is running for the Senate.

Q: May nagsasabi po na hindi ba dapat yung ibang cabinet members, gawin din yung katulad ng ginawa ni Recto? If may intention to run?

SP: Yun ang opinion nila, eh hindi ko na pinagaralan yun, kung ano ang implikasyon nun. So what I say does not matter. That is each to his own.

Q: Pero dapat Sir, yung cabinet officials, ngayon pa lang magresign na kung talagang tatakbo?

SP: Not necessarily. Hindi kailangan eh. You resign when you file your certificate of candidacy.

Q: Kaya lang Sir, nagagagamit daw yung kanilang position at yung pondo ng kanilang departamento sa kanilang political ambition?

SP: I don't think naman na that's correct because they are bound by the ethics of their office, and their oath of office. I have been a cabinet member, of course I never used my position, I just filed my certificate of candidacy and I automatically resigned.

ON INFOMERCIALS

Q: Sir, sa infomercial po, ginagamit po kasi sa pamumulitika?

SP: Eh kung mapatunayan nila, all of these are possible. Suspicion is one thing, the people alleging these things must prove their allegations, to be fair to the people being accused.

Q: Sir, are you in favor sa gagawing investigation ni Sen. Santiago sa mga infomercial po ng mga cabinet members?

SP: I will withhold my opinion on that. Let her do the investigation and let's find out what would happen.

Q: Would anybody have to testify if there was a double insertion?

SP: The discovery of the double insertion just triggered the discovery of the whole thing. There were two figures in the budget for the same project.

Q: There was a double insertion?

SP: Well, one was the regular allotment placed by the government. The other was an amendment of Sen. Angara.