Press Release
June 6, 2011

Transcript of Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On the Postponement of the ARMM Election

Q: Walo 'yung nakalistang mag-iinterpellate, sir. So, if they take an average of one hour, aabutin kayo ng... Are you ready to stay all night?

SP: We can stay here until tomorrow morning or tomorrow afternoon to finish it.

Q: Sir, kapag hindi kayo nakapagbotohan ngayon, anong mangyayari?

SP: Hindi ko alam.

Q: Sir, may limit ba doon sa how long a senator can interpellate?

SP: Well, if it becomes repetitious, I will plead with them to go to the point.

Q: Sir, ano po ba 'yung magiging botohan? Two-thirds ba siya of 50% plus one?

SP: Majority of the quorum. This is a legislation.

Q: Sir, bakit kailangang today na ma-approve? Why the need to pass it today?

SP: We have only two days and Wednesday we are busy with the Commission on Appointments. And then, kung mayroong disagreeing provision, then it will go into a Bicam and the election is forthcoming so we'll have to make a decision one way or the other.

Q: Tonight, sir?

SP: Hopefully.

Q: So, no intention to railroad the approval?

SP: As far as I'm concerned, there's no railroading here in this Senate.

Q: Sir, nag-headcount na ba kayo?

SP: I'm not doing any headcount. Palabasin natin kung sino ang boboto against and let the people decide if they think those who voted for or against are to be blamed. Then, punish them during election time. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not afraid of being punished. I've been punished many times before.

Q: Sir, may mga paid ads sa mga newspapers...

SP: That will not change my position. By now, they should know me better than that.

Q: Pero sir, kayo, may desisyon na kayo?

SP: As far as I'm concerned, I have my own position ever since. I never hid it from anybody.

On the burial of former President Marcos

Q: Sir, doon sa burial ni former President Marcos, mukhang sa Ilocos na raw po ang recommendation pero with full military honors. Pwede na po ba 'yun, sir?

SP: Why not? Kahit na ililibing, basta full military honors if you deserve it.

Q: Sir, kapag po ba full military honors, you are considered as a hero?

SP: No. You are not considered as a hero. There's no element of whether you're a patriot or a hero. The fact is that are you entitled to it? The entitlement to full military honors is the position you held in the government. He was a President. Very few of these presidents went to war. Some of these people who are opposing, very few saw the muzzles of the guns of the Japanese.

Q: Sir, so kahit po hindi sa Libingan ng mga Bayani basta bigyan ng...

SP: As one who have been involved in that war, I would say that those who fought the foreign enemies of the country deserve some degree of consideration and respect.

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