SP Enrile transcript of interview after CA session

On SP Enrile's Unborn Child Protection Act of 2010

I cannot remember all the facts. I am simply implementing the constitutional injunction that we should protect both the life of the unborn fetus and the mother. Nothing must be done that will endanger the health, the wellbeing and the life of the fetus, as much as there is nothing that should be done to endanger the wellbeing and life of the mother.

On whether his bill is an Anti RH Bill

Hindi ito anti RH Bill. This is a bill in accord with the Constitution. It's an effort to really make it clear that from conception to birth, from being to being, meaning the totality of actual existence, the child must be protected even against her mother. In the same way, the mother must be protected also even against her child. That's the concept of the Bill.

On whether his bill prohibits abortion

Yes, it prohibits abortion. I think we should not incur with divine plans, no matter how you may call Him. You may call Him Allah, Jehovah, God, or just Spirit. If you really believe, and you are not an atheist, then you respect the existence of that Supreme Being. That Spirit has a design for each one of us.

On whether he considers the use of contraceptives as abortifascient

When does life begin?

On the impeachment case against Justice Castillo over the issue of plagiarism

We cannot comment on that because it will come here kung aprubahan ng House Committee on Justice. Once it reaches the Senate, we will apply the same rules we have earlier prepared. There will be no new rules. That Rule was not made for the Ombudsman or for Mrs. Gutierrez. It was made for everybody who will be brought under impeachment.

On whether the robes will still be used

I do not know whether the robes will still be used. As far as I am concerned, since we had paid for it we must use it. At least, we have a chance to use it.

On why the RH Bill was partly taken up in the discussion at the CA hearing

You see how controversial the Bill is. It crops up in every issue and in every place. I think that we should approach it with more circumspection and understanding.

I respect the opinion of others. But I'm basing my opinion on what I have observed all the time both outside the government and inside the government during a lifetime of 87 years. I think that if we want to really reduce to a reasonable level what we consider to be an acceptable level the social strength, or the security strength of the country, we can do that by education. We can mobilize an army of people to teach those we thought to be "dull and ignorant" to understand the problem. They understand the problem. We should educate them, rather than forcing them to take things that might even endanger their lives. We cannot say with certainty that those things will not endanger the lives of the takers. By education, we can teach people the problem of having too many children, and hand in hand with that, government should now take very resolutely and forcefully to remove all restrictions on investments in the country in order to onward the fight. That is going to be divided among the population of this country so that we can enlarge the wealth of this country hand in hand with the growth of the population. At the same time, we should not be contented with the increase of the per capita income because that is not a measure of the well being of the lower stratum of the society. But rather we should review the income distribution in this country of those who are possessed with the ability to pay more taxes to the government. They should contribute more than the rest of the population. But if you look at our tax profile now, the one really supporting the government are the poor people of the country. There are so many leakages in income tax: final tax on the interest, they're lying tax on dividends, all possible incomes. They do not use their brains, they do not sweat. They just invest their money because they have money. They go to the stock market and deny tax of fifty percent. Is that just?

As regards the filing of the Bill for the postponement of the ARMM Election

We can postpone the election up to the last moment of our session. The Bill is certified urgent.