TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF SEN. SERGE OSMEÑA
(First part)

SWS SURVEY ON CORRUPTION

Q: your statement on the SWS survey showing that more businessmen believe that there's a lot of corruption within the government

Serge: yes. That's something that we cannot eliminate overnight. Even in advance countries like the USA, there's still corruption. The problem always has been the enforcement of laws. Alam mo dito halos walang pene-penalize eh. Nobody goes to jail. And if there's no certainty of punishment, gagawin at gagawin uli 'yan.

The survey also shows that credibility of the President and his dedication to wiping out corruption is very high. But one man cannot do it. And certainly, it cannot be done in 3 ½ to 6 years. We just have to continue. This is a life-long task for everybody, our children and our children's children will also face these problems. But with an honest man at the top, it could be minimized greatly. Siguro 'yung corruption po na nakikita natin ngayon, siguro nasa ibaba po 'yun, sa mga local agencies, etc. and these are nowhere near the corrupt deals that were obtained during the previous administration.

Q: The Senate has the biggest drop...

Serge: well, if you will read it completely, the positive was an outlier, it was an exemption, it really has always been neutral, minus 3, minus 6, minus 8, pero parating nandun. We just got an exceptional plus because of the impeachment of CJ Corona. Now, it's back to normal. But I am not surprised. With the PDAF scandal, nakakahiya talaga. If I were the public, I would throw mud at the Senate.

Q: will it have an effect on our economy? Will it deter investments in the country?

Serge: I think that if you able to compare, because everything in this life is relative, so if you compare...if you ask the businessmen to compare, you will find that there has been some improvement. As a matter of fact, the reason why our financial ratings have come up is because of the widespread perception, not only locally but also in the international community, that we have a president who means business, who means to wipe out corruption, and who himself is perceived to be extremely honest. So, if anything, it would still be a plus. Because sinasabi ng survey, meron pa tayong corruption, yes, and everybody will agree with that. But what kind of corruption, the survey did not say. And I have a funny feeling, not a funny feeling but very sincere feeling, the corruption will be the smaller types that we see at the local level rather than the huge kickbacks for infrastructure projects, 'yung malalaking projects, which we have not seen lately.

Q: Bureau of Customs ang pinakamalala...

Serge: that has been a perpetual headache. Talagang perpetual iyan, napakahirap baguhin. I discussed it with former Customs people, talagang it will take a long time to resolve that. That's a matter of having to computerize it, sinasabotahe naman ang computerization program dun.

You see, the problem is, we have 7,000 islands, and you can land and smuggle anywhere. Mabuti sana kung medyo buo 'yung border natin... let me give you an example. Dun po sa Amerika, the border with Mexico, while long in our terms, is still very intact. Makikita mo ang border, na iyan ang mga islands, etc. Bakit nakakapasok pa ang mga droga? Ang mga illegal aliens? I mean, it is not an easy thing even for an advanced country with a lot of money and sophisticated equipment, like the USA, to solve. So, we just have to keep on working at it.

But I think there has been a big improvement. Because even if you ask those questions of a businessman, not only do they see corruption today, but also how do you compare it to the past? I think that they will say that there is a big improvement. That's been the widespread perception of the Aquino administration.

Q: Expected na itataas na ang mga cases against lawmakers from the Ombudsman to the Sandiganbayan. Do you think that will save the image of the Senate?

Serge: It will not save, but it will somehow improve. And not necessarily the image of the Senate, but also of the entire country, that at least something is being done, that the big fish is being caught, the big fish is being jailed or detained. Nakikita ng tao iyan.

Q: How do you read the survey's findings na nag-increase ang incidence of corruption?

Serge: You see, there are many types of corruption. Kokotong ka ng pulis, corruption 'yun. It all depends. They did not bother to identify the type, or quality of corruption. Baka naman hindi malalaki 'yun, baka eto yung mga mag-a-apply ka ng permit tapos hihingi ng P1,000 or P2,000. I think that's still pretty rampant. Again, we don't have enough police people to take care of that. The police force itself do have certain activities along those line.

What I am saying is that it won't happen overnight, but there has been a huge improvement, and everybody agrees, I think.

Q: The survey was done from July to November, the height of the PDAF scandal. Malaki ba ang epekto nun?

Serge: Definitely. It put a real big cloud over the members of legislature. As a matter of fact, even those who have nothing to do with it, are being perceived of being or probably of being corrupt. Ang hirap noon eh. They would rather that they name names right away so that at least, 'yung mga guilty alam na ng tao. Hindi 'baka' or 'ganito ito' kahit hindi pa tapos ang investigation. That's hurting all of us.

Q: Makakatulong ba ang FOI bill?

Serge: Definitely. We passed that in the Senate last year, but the lower house didn't pass. And we're just about to pass it again. But definitely, the more transparent things are, if you can see all of the documents that pass to my room, then there'll be less incentive for anybody to be engaged in shenanigans. It will not eliminate things completely, dahil sa Amerika nga meron silang FOI dun, but there's still corruption, there's still kalokohan, nahuhuli nga lang sila. Mas medaling hulihin.

Q: Pabor po ba kayo sa Open Data System website para bantayan ang procurement system?

Serge: Definitely. For me, the more open, the better. Kasi at least may sisingaw kaagad. 'Uy, teka muna, mali 'yan. Ganitong presyo ang binayaran namin, bakit naging doble iyan? Quadruple or times 10 ang nililista ninyo but it's the same item?'

Q: May criticisms na baka maging excuse para hindi na ipasa ang FOI bill?

Serge: No. We need everything that would make matters transparent. Actually we're dealing with the public, these are public business, I am just elected to be one of the legislators, after that I will go, I will die, and other people will take my place. In the meantime, I am taking care of your business, and right now, most of these have something to do with the problems of electricity rates...