Transcript of Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On the impeachment charges against Chief Justice Corona

Q ...stands in the way of the President seizing control of the judiciary and the executive?

SP That is his analysis. We respect the analysis. Whether it will come to pass, we do not know. We will maintain cold neutrality. Yun ang nakalagay sa Rules, cold neutrality. Matagal pa yun, we will give them a ten-day notice and then five days to reply, so that's fifteen days. Then we can start the hearings at 2:00 in the afternoon. Morning ang ating session. Yung mga ibang bills, back burner muna. Yung RH Bill, wala muna yun. Hindi namin dini-delay, tadhana ang nagdikta. The passage continues, we are not delaying it. Marami kayong isusulat dito araw-araw.

Q Mag-ala Gutierrez na lang siya sir?

SP No comment.

On Senator Santiago being appointed as judge in the International Criminal Court

Q With Sen. Santiago being elected to the ICC, magiging 22 na lang kayo?

SP Oo.

Q Will that change the reckoning ng two-thirds of the vote?

SP No, only 16.

Q 16 pa rin kahit wala na si Miriam?

SP Oo.

Q Hindi ba mas madaling i-block yung vote to convict if yung 16?

SP Only 16. Kailangan 16 ang boto to convict.

Q Even if you are only 22 now?

SP Even if we are only 20, even if we are only 17. Kailangan pa rin ang 16.

Q 16 to convict?

SP Yung 16, pag nabawasan ang number ng Senador, boto yun sa respondent. Meron ng bakante na isa, boto na yun sa respondent. Merong nababawasan, magiging 22 kami, yung dalawa, boto sa respondent yun.

Q Eh di pwede pong ma-acquit si Corona?

SP Hindi masasabi.

Q So anim lang ang kailangang makuha na boto ni Corona, ma-acquit na siya?

SP Seven.

Q Seven positive votes lang?

SP Kung full 24, kailangan niya 9. Kung 23, 8.

Q You mentioned this morning that it was hastily transmitted to the Senate?

SP No, I did not say that. I was interviewed by DZRJ, Noli De Castro, Kara David.

Q Pero hindi kayo nabilisan?

SP No. Sinabi ko nga na once you get one third of the House, the articles of impeachment is already immediately transmittable to the Senate. It will not pass through the committee.

Q Ang formal impeachment trial, sa February pa?

SP When we open on January 15, we have fifteen days to prepare. Mga February. Daily yun ha? Daily.

Q January 16, preparatory pa lang yun, hindi pa trial proper?

SP Hindi pa. We have to give ten days from the time we have to send the summons.

Q The summons will not be immediately served? It will be served as soon as you convene as a trial court?

SP Yes.

Q Bago mag-Christmas break ico-constitute na ang Senate as an impeachment court?

SP Na-calendar na ba? Ire-refer pa sa Committee on Rules. Ngayon, pagkatapos, mag-caucus tayo. Tomorrow. Then we can convene ourselves into an impeachment court. Once we do it tomorrow, then we convene because you have to notify the body that there is an impeachment and then we now constitute ourselves ito an impeachment court.

Q So tomorrow, convened na?

SP Yes. Then we apply the rules. The primary rules na gagamitin natin will be the rules of impeachment. In which case, we start holding session in the morning in January and the impeachment court in the afternoon. At 2:00pm. Ico-caucus ko na sila mamaya para hindi nila sasabihin na tamad kami dito.

Q Sa tingin ninyo gaano tatagal yung impeachment trial?

SP Depende yan sa mga abogado. Wala kaming control diyan, but we will not allow dilatory tactics.

Q Paano po yung observation nung iba na it is being railroaded?

SP Impression lang yun pero dito naman, what is important is the course of the trial. Yan ang importante. Kaya gusto ko open, public. At full view of the people para makita na hindi nire-railroad yang kaso na yan.

Q Do you think a special session is possible?

SP I don't know, I am not sure that the President is authorized to call a special session on impeachment cases.