Transcript of Ambush Interview with Senate President Franklin M. Drilon

On the preventive suspension of Senator Bong Revilla

SPFMD: Last Friday we received the order of the Sandiganbayan and we will implement it on November 3, 2014, next week, the preventive suspension of Sen. Bong Revilla, until January 31, 2015. While the order was issued on July 31, there was a motion of reconsideration that was filed and we are not provided a copy of the resolution until Friday. So we were not able to implement the suspension.

Iniimplementahan po natin ang suspension ni Sen. Revilla next month hanggang Jan 31, 2015, yaan po ay 90 days. Diyan po sa 90 day period, his salaries and the funds to his office will be suspended, pero ang mga sweldo po ng kanyang mga empleyado ay patuloy po.

On our work, we will be passing today the Fisheries Act in order to strengthen the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Eto po ay kailangan to save our tuna industry from sanctions from the EU. We have been marked as one country which have prevalent illegal fishing and unreported and unregistered fishing vessels, so we have passed the amendments to address the concerns of the European Union, and prevent sanctions on our tuna industry which can cost jobs, especially in General Santos City.

Q: Si Sen. Miriam, nagfile po ng resolution seeking to terminate the VFA, ano po yung process ng pagdadaan niyang resolution?

SPFMD: Ibabalik iyan sa committee on Foreign Relations, at hihintayin natin ang report ng Committee on Foreign Relations.

Q: Ano po ang stand niyo sa issue na iyan?

SPFMD: As I have stated, I am in favor of reviewing the Visiting Forces Agreement, but I am not in favor of scrapping it.

Q: Ano po in particular yung mga gusto niyong ireview?

SPFMD: Well there is the apparent vagueness in the physical custody of soldiers who commit or are charged with offenses outside their line of duty.