Transcript of interview with Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri (part 1)
Vice-chair of the Senate committee on games, amusement and sports
Senate hearing on the Azkals and the state of Philippine sports
January 26, 2011

ON THE AZKALS:

S/Migz: Unang una nagbigay tayo ng privilege speech bago mag pasko dahil sa problema nga nitong wala tayong national stadium para sa larong Suzuki Cup dito sa ating bansa so it was an eye opener for me na wala pala tayong facilities dito sa ating bansa. So we come up with a hearing on how can we resolve the problem sa pagkawala nila ng home base dito sa ating bansa. Nakita natin natin na mayroon talagang kakulangan sa pondo at sponsors for Philippine football team...but today it is a little bit clearer we provided help and assistance to them in terms of support sa kanilang papeles nandito ang NSO, DFA at BI iba pa so magkakaroon na po ng one stop shop ang Philippine football team dahil karamihan sa kanila ay mula sa US, Europe at makalaro sila agad dito sa local competitions. We decided to have a shortlist of their permanent venues for their games, one is the Panaad stadium in Negros Occidental and the other one is the Rizal Stadium but it will need money at ang estimate ay kailangan natin ng 200 million peso for the Panaad stadium at another 200 million peso for the Rizal stadium para maging international standards...you must remember that we will host the next Suzuki Cup sa 2012 so kailangan handa ang ating mga facilities sa Suzuki cup...Even the FIFA gives the money for other purposes, mayroon naman gustong magsponsor isang malaking businessman ayoko na lang banggitin kung sino who is willing to sponsor the repairs of Panaad stadium iyun lang gustong palitan ang pangalan ng corporate name which is usually being done in different countries, ibat-ibang areas in the world, sa European nations ginagawa iyun so it is a corporate sponsored stadiums at mayroon naman we are talking to the Sy group of SM na mayroon daw silang itatayong a closed indoor stadium dito sa may Mall of Asia at baka naman puwedeng pakiusapan na lakihan na lamang kahit papaano para hindi lang basketball, for concerts pero isama na rin ang isang football field to accommodate 30-40 thousand people...it is a dream noh so ito ang mga hakbang natin para lalong umunlad at lumakas ang ating Philippine football sports program dito sa ating bansa.

ON PAGCOR FUNDS TO SPORTS PROGRAM :

Interpretations on RA6847 LAW CREATING THE PSC

S/Migz: Alam mo 1998 pa first term ko pang congressman at that time iyan na talaga pinagaawayan namin ng Pagcor iyung pagkukulang sa pagbigay nila ng pondo sa ating national sports program. We are already up to here in terms of patience with pagcor and pcso and this is the time now together with other agencies, siguro dadalhin na po namin ito sa SC para kunan ng clarification and a final order on how the law should be impelemented. Simpleng simple nakalagay sa batas limang percent of gross profit of pagcor which is about 1 billion pesos ang idadala sa national sports program ang ibinibigay lamang nila ay 500million, may malaking kulang, may pagkukulang ang pagcor dapat bayaran nila ito kung hindi pupunta po kami sa SC.

Kailangan din patibayin iyung corporate sponsorship para sa allowances ng ating mga players napakaliit ng budget nila for allowances hindi pa narirelease. Kung aasahan lamang natin ang Philippine sports commission napakaliit po ng budget nila for player allowances i think it is less than 10thousand so kailangan talaga humanap ng corporate sponsor.

SENATOR MIGZ ZUBIRI ON THE BUS BLAST:

Again, para akong broken record, paulit ulit kong sinasabi dito sa nangyaring bus blast, hindi na po takot ang ating mga criminal dito sa ating criminal justice system, pinagtatawanan po nila ang ating pulisya, ang ating AFP, PNP at armed forces hindi na po nila tinitignan ang mga penalties na ibinibigay natin sa atin mga criminals kasi wala na silang takot dun, kaya aking hinihiling muli under the Senate bill na i filed ibalik po natin ang parusang kamatayan dito sa mga ganitong klaseng karumal dumal na krimen na ginagawa ng mga walang hiyang criminal na ito. This is an act of terrorism similar to the Bali bombing, ano ang ginawa ng Indonesia? Ibinitay sila lahat at meron na ba muling nangyaring terrorist incident sa Bali? Wala po dahil natakot ang mga perpetrators sa bansang ito na gumawa muli ng ganyang klaseng krimen dahil alam nila mabibitay sila...kayat panawagan ko sa ating pamahalaan na aside from apprehension of theswe criminals we should give them stiff penalties na talagang matatakot silang gumawa nito muli.

ON CRITICISMS AGAINST DEATH PENALTY:

Event the Senate had ratified an agreement, we are signatory, we did not ratify an agreement we are just a signatory to a UN protocol now being a signatory we can always renegotiate that's how people want to renegotiate JPEPA the VFA and people want to renegotiate other UN protocols it can be done, it doesn't mean na nakasulat na iyan sa dugo natin, nakasulat na sa bato iyan that is not a permanent document. \

Alam nyo po sa Mexico, if you goole or yahoo "mexico death penalty" you google it today, makikita ninyo lahat ng tao or Mexicans or 70 or 80 percent sa kanila gustong maibalik ang death penalty na nawala sa kanila noong 2005.. dahil mula nuong nawala ang death penalty lalong lumala ang drug trafficking cases at patayan, krimen halos araw-araw ang patayan, i believe there is an upcoming elections in Mexico and overwhelming po ang support ng support ng taongbayan duon sa political party na nagtutulak ng ibalik ang death penalty.

Iyan po ang kinakatakutan ko dito sa ating bansa lalong lumalala ang heinous crimes dito dapat bigyan natin ng pansin ang karapatan ng mga biktima at ng taongbayan na mamuhay sa isang lugar that is peaceful that our children can walk in without fear of criminality.

What I am appealing to the President is to allow the debates to proceed let us show to the people our figures and document kasi meron na po tayong figures to prove that the repeal of the death penalty only made criminality worse at ipapakita po natin ang trend gaya ng sa Mexico.

Let me mention this also in the Philippine Star frontpage today sa intl crime index where are we? We are in the 130th...in other words pag mataas masyado ang numero masyadong malala ang kriminalidad na nangyayari duon. Saan po ang Malaysia? Number 20 at mayroon po silang death penalty. Saan ang Singapore? Number 30 in the crime index internationally at merong death penalty. Saan ang Indonesia? Number 63 halos double ng Pilipinas...so ano ang ibig sabihin niyan lahat ng ating mga kapitbahay na may death penalty at ipinapatupad ito they are most peaceful than our country.

At this point the PNP has to double their efforts and police presence, checkpoints, stations at ourposts para may matakbukhan ang atong kababayan alam mo sa US at EU countries bagsak ang criminality duon dahil sa police presence. Sa ating mga kababayan huwag po silang matakot. Alam nyo po kung may mangyaring ganito krimen sa ibang bansa tulad ng Spain nagrarally ang mga tao milyon milyon dahil kinukondena nila ang nangyaring krimen dito sa atin parang wala lang, statistics lang at nasanay na tayo...sana hindi mawala sa atin ang sense of concern and decency.

US WARNED US OF TERROR ATTACK:

Ang masama kasi dito pinagsabihan na tayo ng US, before Christmas, the US ambassador said we are at risk of terrorist incidents in the next few months eh ano sinabi ng ating administration, ni Robredo, ng police officials, anong sinabi nila na wag po tayo mag-alala, hindi po totoo, wag pansinin at safe dito sa atin eh anong nangyari ngayon nabomba ang bus na ito... if we were alert, if the people were alert, just tell us if there is a terrorist threat then mobilize the people... tell us to watch out for bags that are left behind, for suspicious personnel or criminals around the community para sa ganun alerto tayo at hindi po tayo masyadong kumpiyansa eh ano nangyari dahil hindi tayo naniwala na may terrorists sa ating bansa and this is it 4 people dead, 17 injured it could have been worst we could have had a whole busload killed and i am relieved that the fatalities were limited to a smaller number.