Excerpts from Kapihan sa Senado with Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada

On the excuses given by Atty. Villafuerte in response to the accusations against him by the three witnesses

According to the victims ay meron pang mga witnesses na willing mag-testify dun sa mga sinasabi nila sa hearing. I already requested the Blue Ribbon Committee to invite them to the hearing to testify in favour of the alleged victims. On how many witnesses more are there for this investigation

It depends kung ma-locate ng Blue Ribbon Staff ang lahat ng tinutukoy na witnesses dahil balita ko ay sa probinsya pa lahat nakatira.

Based dun sa hearing this morning, talagang nagsisinungaling itong si Assistant Labor Attache Villafuerte. Tatlo na itong nagsasalita na they were verbally abused. Yung isa ay pinagtangkaang gahasain. Pero talgang deni-deny n'ya. Pero, siguro sa next hearing, we will established na talaga yung buong katotohanan kung paano sila nagkakakilala. Basta sa next hearing ay ma-e-establish na natin kung nagssasabi sila ng totoo o hindi.

On the accountability of Atty. Villafuerte if he's not telling the truth

He's under oath. I will cite him in contempt. On the impact of this investigation to Villafuerte's family

Alam na ata ng wife ni Villafuerte dahil nabasa ko minsan sa diyaryo na sinansa ng misis n'ya na matino raw ang asawa niya. Ipinagtatanggol siya ng asawa niya.

Let him deny the accusation. We will pin him down.

On Villafuerte's claim that he's being accused of such wrongdoing dahil maraming mga OFWs ang hindi kunttento sa serbisyo niya

I do not buy his statement. Dun na lang sa text message niya ay inamin niya na sa kanya galing yun at siya ang nag-compose nun. Doon pa lang ay makikita mo na ang kanyang kabastusan. Wala naman sa atin ang gumagamit ng salitang "salungso" at " salungki". Usually ang ginagamit natin pag salungso ay bra at yung salungki ay panty. Wala naman sigurong nagsasabi sa atin ng salungso or salungki. Doon pa lang ay medyo may kabastusan na. Kaya ako ay naniniwala sa paratang nung tatlong biktima na talagang they were verbally abused by Assistant Labor Attache Villafuerte. On whether there are still other OFWs who experienced verbal or sexual abused from Villafuerte

Yung iba kasing witnesses ay nahiya pang lumantad. Ito kasing tatlong complainant ay malalakas ang loob dahil they feel aggrieved dun sa sitwasyon. Siguro talagang hindi na nila nakayanan dahil ang akala nila pagdating nila dun sa Bahay Kalinga o dun sa Polo o sa Philippine Embassy ay matutulungan sila ng kapwa natin Pilipino. Pero pagdating doon, sila pa mismo ang subjected sa verbal abused.

Actually no rape has happened. There was an attempted rape by Villafuerte on Michelle.

On the position of DFA Legal Counsel

Hindi pa naging malinaw ang position ng legal counsel ng DFA kung pwedeng mag-file ng case kay Villafuerte dito sa Pilipinas kahit na dun sa ibang bansa nangyari ang alleged crime na ininireklamo laban sa kanya. Actually, she was recommending to me some amendments on the provisions of the Revised Penal Code regarding yung sa territoriality/jurisdiction. She did not give a categorical answer dun sa aking tanong kung pwede bang ihabla o prosecute natin dito sa Pilipinas yung mga government officials natin na nagkasala within the premises of the Philippine Embassy.

Pwede siyang makalusot, kung makakalusot. Kasi wala pa naming precedence dito sa kasong ito.

Ang Bahay Kalinga is not sanctioned by the Saudi government. So it does not belong to the territory of the Philippine Embassy.

I think the Polo office In Alcobar is separated from the Philippine Embassy.

In such cases, the option is to file an administrative case. Hangga't wala pa tayong malinaw na batas sa Revised Penal Code, I think ay hindi tayo pwedeng mag prosecute.

On proposing amendments to the Revised Code of the Philippines I am waiting for the recommendations of the legal counsel ng DFA.

On the Blue Ribbon hearing

Binabaliktad lang kami. He was just returning the questions to us. Noong tinanong siya ni Senator Enrile kung ano ang motibo ng tatlo. Bakit sila lumantad? Bakit malakas ang loob nila na humarap sa taong-bayan kahit na tinanggal na ang takip sa mukha nila? Hindi naman makasagot si Mr. Villafuerte. Binabalik lang sa amin ang tanong. Hindi raw niya alam kung ano 'yung motibo ng tatlo. Ako, mas naniniwala ako sa tatlong biktima.

Itong dalawa, they were abused verbally, 'yung mga kabastusang sinasabi ni Mr. Villafuerte. Si Michelle naman ay tinangkang gahasain kasi sinabi hinalikan na nga siya, nilamas 'yung kanyang dibdib, pinasok na 'yung kamay sa hita, tinataas na 'yung abaya. Pero itong dalawa, mayroon ng inclination na 'yung isa parang binebenta sa isang Egyptian. 'Yung isa kay Mr. Turkey. Mayroong mga pahiwatig na ganoon but we haven't established that yet.

Siguro kailangan na i-define natin 'yung role ng labor attaché at assistant labor attaché dahil parang hindi nila sinusunod 'yung "One Country Team" approach kasi ang ibig sabihin nito ay ang namamahala sa bawat post 'yung ambassador, hindi 'yung labor attaché. Ang labor attaché, kapag sinabi mong "One Country Team" approach, ang immediate head noon ay ambassador. Hindi 'yung labor attaché mismo. I don't think they have reported or are reporting the incidents to the ambassador. Kasi katulad in the case of Josie, August pa nangyari pero October na nalaman ng ambassador at sinabi ni Adam Musa na ni-rereport niya sa post. Wala namang report na nangyari. Tatlong insidente na 'yan at walang ni-rereport sa post, meaning sa ambassador. It was only on October 8 last year na nakatanggap ng information si Ambassador Tago and that was the only time that the ambassador instructed labor attaché Musa to shed light on the matter. So ibig sabihin hindi talaga ni-rereport.

On the Magna Carta for Journalists

Let me explain. I do not want to go into details anymore. Let me just give you a rundown of the history of the Magna Carta. I filed this during the 13th Congress when I was a neophyte Senator, nothing happened. I filed this in the 14th Congress, nothing happened. I filed this in the 15th Congress, nothing happened. This is only a proposed bill. Di ko alam bakit ngayon lang to nasilip ng mga kasamahan sa media itong mga probisyon na ito na hindi ata nila sinusuportahan. Bakit hindi pa noong 13th or 14th Congress pa nila i-scrutinize itong bill. I just would like to remind my friends in the media that this is only a proposed bill. Ito ay mag-uundergo pa ng mga series of hearings. Kung merong mga groups ng journalists na opposed sa provisions ng bill na ito, then we can talk about it. They can propose some amendments to the bill that can be in favor of the journalists. Remember, I am a friend of the media. I do not have any intentions of silencing the media. Ako talaga, eversince, wala naman akong background na meron akong pinapapatay na storya. I do not have any intentions of intimidating the media. If, for example, Senator Grace Poe will conduct a hearing, we are open to all suggestions, recommendations or even amendments to the bill. Basta ako, kung ano ang gusto ng mas nakakarami sa ating mga journalists, papayag po ako don.

Kung batas na po ito, dun po tayo magreklamo. We are going to conduct hearings regarding the provisions that you do not like and against the will of our friends from the media. Basta kami kung ano yung suggestions ninyo and if we agree on it, we will put it on record.

Will there be any discrimination if there are accredited journalists?

Alam mo naman sa trabaho ninyo, kayo mga legitimate journalists. Madami din kayong mga kasamahan at kakilala na talagang hindi naman lehitimong miyembro ng media. Maraming mga bogus na media personalities. Siguro, that is one of the objectives. If several groups like the NPC would want me to strike that provision out for some valid reasons, I am willing to do so. Pero itong bill na ito I believe would promote the welfare of our friends from the media.

Why not push through with the FOI bill?

I did not file the Freedom of Information bill. It is up to the Committee chairman to conduct a hearing on the FOI bill.

Will this amount to government control of the media?

I don't think so. There is no intention of that.

Did you consult with anyone from the media industry while you draft this bill?

Wala pa akong kinokonsulta. Nagrerely lang ako kung sakali i-hear ng chairman ng Committee on Public Information and mass media, that's the time that we will be open for suggestions. That is the time that we will invite all stakeholders including the National Press Club and all stakeholders involved.

Wala kang nakikitang necessity na magkaroon ka ng consultation with the media organizations?

Kailangan. Siguro sa public hearing. Mag-ke-create ng technical working group. Kasi kung magtatawag tayo ng consultation meetings at hindi naman i-hear ng chairman ng committee, its useless.

Nakausap niyo na ba si Senator Grace Poe?

Hindi pa.

On the PDAF Scam

I think the NBI is still conducting a thorough investigation with regard to the P10 billion pork barrel scam. Ako, I leave it up to the NBI to investigate the matter.

Wala akong natatanggap na tawag mula sa National Bureau of Investigation.

It is not up to the senators to determine whether an NGO is bogus or not. It is within the functions and the powers of the DA to determine if an NGO is bogus or not. Alangan naman na kami pa ang magsasabi na, "Oy, bogus 'yan." How will we know?

Even if we endorse a certain NGO, we will have no idea whether it is bogus or not. It is done in good faith. If it endorses a certain project to a particular NGO, iniisip namin na accredited ng Department of Agriculture 'yon.

Ang office ko is not an implementing agency. The implementing agency here is the Department of Agriculture. Hindi naman kami nagpapa-implement. We are just here to determine the projects.

I do not know anyone from the DA. All I know is the Secretary of Agriculture. Si Secretary Alcala lang kilala ko. Of course, kilala ko dahil secretary siya. Nag-cocourtesy call siya sa lahat ng senador. Minsan dadaan pa siya sa CA, sa budget. Siyempre makikilala namin.

Marami kasing nag-rerequest sa akin, and for other senators in that matter lalong-lalo na sa probinsya, kung pwedeng magkaroon sila ng mga gamit sa agriculture. 'Yon naman ay pinagbigyan namin. Basta kami nag-eendorse kami sa sa Department of Agriculture. Kampante na kami, nagtitiwala kami sa Department of Agriculture na mapupunta sa tamang kamay 'yon especially 'yung ating mga magsasaka.

Kailangan siguro maging prudent kami, mga senador, mga lawmakers, in general. Kailangan busisiin mabuti kung saan napupunta ang pera.

Ako naman, gusto ko lang malaman sa mga kinauukulan kung saan talaga napunta 'yung para sa ating magsasaka dahil 'yung ating mga magsasaka, mga kababayan nating mahihirap, sila mismo ang nag-rerequest sa aking tanggapan na sila ay mabigyan ng ayuda. Mabigyan sila ng tulong. Ako naman, tinugunan ko lang 'yung kanilang mga requests at sumulat ako sa DAR at ibigay itong natitira kong PDAF at ipamahagi sa ating mga kababayang magsasaka.

Ang mahirap kasi, ang nasusulat lang ay 'yung mga farm implements. 'Yung mga tulong namin sa ospital, 'yung mga pondo namin sa ospital nationwide, hindi naman nila naisusulat 'yon. 'Yung mga naitutulong namin sa mga mahihirap na may problema sa kalusugan, hindi naman nila naisusulat 'yon. Bakit puro panay 'yung pag-aallot namin ng pera sa alleged bogus organizations ang sinusulat. Dapat pantay-pantay. Patas ang reporting.

On Janet Napoles

She's an acquaintance. Hindi ko naman i-dedeny na hindi ko siya kilala. My daughter and her nephew, if I'm not mistaken, are classmates.

Wala akong business dealings sa kanya.

I might have signed endorsements but I do not know if those particular endorsements belong to her or bogus non-government organizations. I wouldn't have known.

On the warrant of arrest issued against Napoles

Wala tayong magagawa. Ang batas ay batas. We have to abide by the rule of law.

On the pork barrel being used on ghost projects

It might be possible. But I, myself, am not aware about it.

On the liability of the agencies

Sila 'yung nag-dedetermine if it's a fake NGO or not. Hindi na namin trabaho 'yon. Alangan naman 'yung mga bogus NGO ay i-scrutinize pa namin.

On Secretary De Lima filing a case against the legislators

That is the opinion of the secretary of justice. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mga ebidensiyang hawak ng NBI.

Ako naman ay naniniwala kay Secretary De Lima. Hindi naman siguro siya basta-basta mag-fafile ng kaso laban sa mga lawmakers ng walang dahilan.

Kami naman noong araw, mayroon kaming warrant of arrest, hindi naman kami nagtago.

Ang sabi naman ni Secretary De Lima, I heard her over the TV, na walang sasantuhin whether you are not aligned with the administration or aligned with the administration. It doesn't matter.