Press Release
September 26, 2013

Transcript of Interview of Sen. TG Guingona

Q: Sir, do you have an opening statement?

Yes. Thank you. First, ulitin ko po 'yung layunin ng Blue Ribbon Committee. May mga katanungan na dapat sagutin. No. 1, ano ba talaga nangyari? Paano nangyari? No. 2, sino may kakagawan at sino ang mananagot? And No. 3, paano natin maiwasan na hindi mangyayari muli ang nangyari? Nakita na natin sa series of hearings, na napasok na natin ang COA, pumasok na rin ang mga line agencies, pumasok na rin ang mga whistleblowers, so ang natitira na lang para mabuo ang kwento, 'yong centerpiece, pinaka main actor nito ay si Janet Lim-Napoles. She should have come today. Unfortunately, the Senate President did not sign the subpoena. Therefore, today, I issued a letter addressed to the Senate President urgently asking him to reconsider his position on the subpoena and I hope that the Senate President will reconsider his position so that we can bring Janet Lim-Napoles here to the Senate para marinig ng taong-bayan ang buong kwento.

Q: Sir, 'yung three days hindi 'yon ultimatum kay Senate President Drilon?

That's a reference kasi nilagay ko doon, we would appreciate if you can respond within three days to tell him that we are urgently waiting for his response.

Q: Sir, kung sakali na-sign na ang subpoena, hindi ba makaroon ng banggaan between the Ombudsman and Senado?

Mabuti tinanong mo 'yon. Walang ruling ang Ombudsman. Ang binigay ang Ombudsman payo, advice. And the advice was not to the Senate, it is to Senate President Drilon. So, there is no prohibition. So, walang bangaan at all.

Q: 'Yon bang non-appearance ni Senator Drilon sa mga previous Blue Ribbon hearings sa PDAF siguro ang dahilan kung bakit niya hindi pinirmahan ang subpoena na 'yan?

Siguro si Senate President Drilon ang dapat niyong tanungin.

Q: Sir, after the De Lima (incident) have you ever talked, na kayo lang dalawa?

Well, he texted me that he was signing the subpoena for the whistleblowers.

Q: But what about for Ms. Napoles?

Wala pa. That's why I sent a letter.

Q: Sir, kukunin ko lang 'yong reaction niyo kasi sinasabi ni Senator Estrada na parang selective 'yung investigation ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee?

I don't think so naman because all that the senators was begrudging me was for my conduct as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee but I am just doing my job. Trabaho lang ito.

Q: Sir, is there a need for the majority to talk about this Napoles case? Kasi hindi naman kayo kinausap as majority ni Senate President Drilon, hindi ba?

Yes. But this is in defense of the institution because the reason given was that there was an advice given by a third party agency na hindi naman dapat at hindi dapat pumasok ang third party agency dito. So, the supremacy and the independency of the institution is being undermined here. I cannot stand for that. I will not stand for that.

Our options are clear. We will exercise our options but right now I'd like to wait for the letter of reconsideration.

Q: One of the options, sir, is to push for a plenary vote to overturn the decision...

We will exercise the option at a proper time. We will let you know at the proper time.

Q: Sir, just for the record, bakit nga po Napoles NGOs lang 'yung tinututukan?

The resolution kasi of Sen. Chiz Escudero specifically states that it is the Janet Lim-Napoles scam. So, 'yun ang basehan, 'yung resolution. It was referred to us.

Q: Senator Guingona, magpapatawag pa rin ba kayo ng hearing kahit break na ang session?

Yes, of course.

Q: Sir, mayroong recommendation si Senator Miriam for Atty. Gigi Reyes to be a state witness...

I wouldn't like to comment on that because I am not competent to pass a judgment on that.

Q: Kaya po nahihirapan ang Blue Ribbon committee na tawagin si Janet Napoles dahil ang ini-issue po ninyo ay subpoena kaagad-agad na kailangang pirmahan ng Senate President. Hindi niyo ba susubukan na invitation para hindi kailangan ng pirma ng Senate President...

Napag-isipan din namin 'yon. We thought time was of the essence and sana it would be today kasi andoon din ang mga whistleblowers. It could be a good ending kasi andoon ang mga whistleblowers at maghaharapan sila. The problem with an invitation is that you can say yes or no. If they say no, you can't do anything. We wouldn't like that to happen to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee so we'd rather go on a compulsory process of the subpoena but we thought about that.

Q: Sir, what would that make of the Senate kung hindi niyo maiimbita o masa-subpoena si Napoles kung patuloy na magre-refuse ang Senate President?

We have our options. We know our options and we will exercise them at the proper time.

First of all 'yung sa Ombudsman, it is just an advice. Iba kung mayroong mando. Pero ito, advice lang. So, you cannot go to the Supreme Court on that. Secondly, the power to approve the subpoena lies in the sole discretion of the Senate President. So, hindi rin pwede iakyat sa Supreme Court.

Q: Sir, ano 'yung isang option? Change of leadership o ive-veto niyo si...

No no no.

Q: Sir, palagay niyo kanino tumama ang privilege speech ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada?

I wasn't able to catch everything. He's begrudging me for my conduct as chairman of the Blue Ribbon in conducting the Blue Ribbon investigation hearings. That being said, I would just like to state that I'm just doing my job. Trabaho lang ito para sa taong-bayan.

Q: Sir, sabi niyo po kanina ang basis ninyo is 'yung reso ni Chiz, paano po 'yung Malampaya at iba pang NGOs? Wala bang chance na masakop o kailangan may mag-file ulit ng another reso?

Actually, kung naalala niyo, mayroon na akong Malampaya fund probe na hindi ko pa sinasara. 'Yun yung tinawag ko si Dr. Jerry Ortega. So, that can be the continuation because it is the Malampaya fund.

Q: Sir, kasi di ba dati si Senator Chiz nag-motion siya to expand the coverage...

Yes. We can also do that.

Q: Sir, sabi niyo kanina maganda kung mag-face-to-face si Napoles at whistleblowers. So, hindi mag-e-end ang case hanggat hindi dumating...

Actually, without Napoles, bitin. Hindi malalaman ng taong-bayan ang buong kwento kasi even the title of the scam is Napoles PDAF scam so she is the main actor. She has to be brought to tell her story.

Q: Do you see her appearance as the finale?

Yes.

Q: By hook or by crook, kukunin niyo si Napoles? Will you consider a Fort Sto. Domingo hearing?

Not by crook. Let's exercise our options when its proper.

Q: Kapahon 'yung binanggit ni Senator Jinggoy yung P50 million and supposedly private and confidential letter?

I don't know anything about that letter and if the issue is 'Was there any offer for our votes?' in any of those na binanggit na issues, then there is none.

Q: Sir, there was a letter?

I am not aware of it.

Q: Additional P50 million?

If the issue is to connect it to the voting, then there is none.

Q: But there was an allocation after the impeachment?

At some point, later on. Very very much later on.

Q: How much was the additional allocation?

50.

Q: Kailan daw binigay?

We checked our records, it was December.

Q: Alam namin sinabi niyo na may options kayo and alam niyo ang options niyo, halimbawa ayaw po ng Senate President, majority of the senators wanted him to sign that particular subpoena, ano ang ginagawa ninyo if that's the case? Even if it's not Napoles?

There are no rules on that.

Q: Pero sa caucus, sir, napapag-usapan niyo 'yun?

Yes, dapat siguro may usapan. May caucus.

Q: Pwede ma-overturn?

We will exercise our options when the time is proper.

Q: Ngayon na nagsalita na 'yung mga whistleblowers, ano pa po 'yung ie-expect natin next hearing kung hindi mapirmahan 'yung subpoena for Janet Napoles?

Kung hindi mapirmahan? We have to wait until mapirmahan.

Q: Tuwang-tuwa si former CJ Corona kasi pakiramdam niya ay vindicated siya sa mga inexpose ni Senator Estrada. Vindicated po ba talaga siya or bumoto kayo sang-ayon sa konsensya niyo?

I already said that all the votes in all issues are not subject to any offers. There was no exchange for anything.

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