Transcript of Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On GMA's bail

SP: Sa ating Saligang Batas at mga tungkol sa krimen, kahit na capital offense, kapag mahina ang ebidensiya, nakakapag-bail. Capital offense is non-bailable except when the evidence is not strong. Ibig sabihin noon, kapag nag-bail at pinayagan ng Huwes, the appreciation of the Judge ay mahina ang ebidensiya.

Q: So 'yung ganito pong pinapayagang mag-piyansa, sir, preview towards acquittal eventually?

SP: Not necessarily. Ang sinasabi lang, ang ebidensiya na prinisenta at that point ay hindi sapat to prove the case, kailangang mag-piyansa. That does not mean na maa-acquit. It's possible that in the course of the trial, mapapalakas nila 'yung ebidensiya. Di ba?

Q: Sir, di ba you attended the PCSO hearings here last year? Base dun sa evidence gathered by the Blue Ribbon Committee, do you think stronger 'yung evidence for plunder?

SP: I will not make any conclusion. Hindi ako magco-conclude dyan. Let the government study the case, what case they want to file.

Q: Sir, so ano po ang dapat gawin ng DOJ-Comelec panel, pwede pa po bang mapalakas 'yung kaso?

SP: You know, hindi mo pwedeng iimbento ang ebidensiya kontra sa isang tao. Due process requires that the evidence presented must be real evidence, not manufactured evidence. We should not allow, as a matter of policy, the invention of evidence to send people to jail. It's dangerous for your liberties. You should be the first one to guard against a system like that.

Q: Pero sir, considering na may plunder cases pa rin si GMA, temporary liberty lang po ang ie-enjoy niya for now?

SP: Bawat kaso, iba 'yun. Ngayon, kung related 'yung kaso na isinampa sa kanya where she was allowed to bail with the other cases, then that will indicate the nature of the case kung mahina ang ebidensiya. It's possible that she can bail herself.

Q: Sir, would you like to react, si Comelec Chairman Brillantes nagbanta ng scenario na no election or balik sa manual dahil 'yung budget nila ay binaba?

SP: Hindi na pwedeng umatras tayo sa automation. We will have to continue with automation. Now, kung hindi sapat ang kanilang budget, it's the duty of Congress to slash the budget of other departments because suffrage is very important. Electing people through a clean and honest election is more important than anything else.

Q: Sir, reremedyuhan po ng Congress?

SP: Yes.