OFFICE OF SENATOR ANTONIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV
TRANSCRIPT
KAPIHAN SA SENADO

Q: First, what is your personal assessment on the Mamasapano massacre? Do you see some operational lapses? Who do you think is to be blamed why it happened?

SAFT: The bases of my information are yung mga galing sa ground. At hindi official yun, so I cannot say categorically kung sino ang mga accountable dito sa mga nangyari na ito. Pero having said that, based sa information na yun, we can see na merong mga operational lapses.

Q: Ilan sa nakita niyo ang operation lapses?

SAFT: Aantayin natin yun sa Monday and Tuesday at lalabas yun, dahil kasi ganito yan, ano, hindi natin pwede sabihin na walang operational lapse kasi may namatay na 44. Tama yung mission, tama yun pag bigay ng go signal dun sa mission kasi namatay naman yung global terrorist na si Marwan, so assuming the President gave the go signal, tama yun binigay niyang go signal kasi nakuha eh, napatay si Marwan. So, in my opinion, that absolves the President of any liability as far as this operation is concerned.

Q: Sir, how about suspended PNP Chief Alan Purisima? Is it appropriate na parang pumapel pa siya, nagbibigay ng instruction considering na suspended siya?

SAFT: Sa akin, again, hindi natin alam pa definitively kung ano talaga naging role ni General Purisima; but, for the sake of this discussion, let's assume na nandun siya, may involvement siya, or na consult siya in whatever way ni General Napeñas, I don't see anything wrong per se kung nag kokonsulta si General Napeñas sa kaniya, being an upper class man and still PNP chief, suspended man, pwede siyang mag konsulta, taking into consideration the fact that it was General Purisima and General Napeñas who started this project; so, walang problema dun. But if he is taking orders from General Purisima, doon may problema. Na kay General Napeñas yun if he took yung mga sinasabi ni General Purisima as orders or advice of an upperclassman.

Q: Pero is it appropriate for Napeñas not to inform OIC Espina about the operation?

SAFT: Most definitely may problema siya doon kung hindi niya ininform si General Espina dahil ang direct superior niya, ang OIC ng PNP is General Espina. Dapat ininform niya. Ngayon kung sabihan siya or inadvise-san siya ni General Purisima na wag sabihan si General Espina, he can argue na kailangan niyang informan ang kaniyang commander. It was his duty kasi kung sinusunod niya si General Prisima, General Purisima was out of the chain of command at that time. Dapat hindi niya tinetake as orders yung sinasabi niya, kundi advice lang.

Q: So, possible talaga na na-violate yun chain of command?

SAFT: Hindi possible, na-violate talaga kasi hindi alam ni General Espina.

Q: Assuming nga na Napeñas is getting advice from Purisima, ano yung delineation from making it an order? Kasi diba PNP chief siya even if na suspended siya, diba yun hierarchy niyo, kunyari humingi siya ng advice, it can be mistaken as order na rin kung ano sabihin ni Purisima diba?

SAFT: Andun sa subordinate yun. Kung sasabihan siya na utos yung dating, pag sinunod niya, di naging order yun. Pag hindi niya sinunod, it was just an advice. So nasasakaniya yun eh. Because General Purisima, even out of instinct, will give directives. Ang example lang niyan is kunyari yung mga retired officers minsan out of instinct mag uutos pa rin yan eh, pag ikaw sinunod mo siya, di sinunod mo yun order niya. You took it as an order.

Q: Pero sir yun kay Napeñas, hindi naman parang tipong retired na si Purisima. Suspended lang siya. Syempre kung bumalik, tapos hindi siya sumunod diba?

SAFT: Pero dapat alam niya kung sino ang nasa taas niya sa chain of command. Alam niya yan eh director siya alam niya na suspended si General Purisima. Dapat inargue niya, "sir kailangan ko sabihan si General Espina, at least we're following the chain of command." Hindi naman mag-iinsist si General Purisima. I doubt ah, na sasabihin niya na "hindi, wag." Ano yun eh, pare-parehas naman kami ng pinanggalingan. So, ganun ang instinct. Magbibigay ka ng advice pero pag sinanabi na, sir kailangan ko informan, alam mo yun lugar mo, malalagay sa lugar si General Purisima na suspended PNP chief siya. Pero kung ikaw yung subordinate, you're acting like General Purisima is still the chief PNP, or not suspended, ikaw ang may problema dahil hindi mo alam yung nangyari. But let me stress muna ditto, na the mission, as far as killing or abducting Marwan, was successful. We will not take that away from General Napeñas, and the patriotic SAF troopers. Given yun. Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito is what went wrong and why.

Q: Kung absolved si President dahil mission accomplished, how come si Napeñas is not absolved?

SAFT: Meron kasing, later on, pag na find out natin, pag may operational lapses siya, yun operational commander, siya yung mananagot at responsible sya, at alam naman ni General Napeñas yan. Hindi na natin pwedeng itaas doon.

Q: So lumilitaw sir, si General Napeñas yun may matinding liability dito?

SAFT: Siya yun operational commander eh, hindi ka na pwede mag-turo sa iba kung bakit. It was his call not to coordinate early with the AFP, kaya nung nahirapan mag reinforce, yun ang dahilan.

Q: Sir, the buck stops with him?

SAFT: Yes, not higher, that's how we operate. Pag ikaw yun operational commander, the buck stops with you. Pwedeng tumaas yan, kunyari ang mission na binigay kay General Napeñas or whoever General is, mag-massacre ng isang civilian community, pag ganun ang mission, pananagutin mo kung sino ultimately ang nagbigay ng order or kung sino nakakaalam dun pero hindi mo pinigilan. Yun ang difference. Pero ito, the mission is legitimate and, in fact it, was accomplished, but at a very huge cost.

Q: But had Espina been informed, would the situation be any different?

SAFT: I don't believe so. Kahit na inform si General Espina at nakita yung nature nung mission, baka hindi rin nabago kasi he wouldn't go down to the level of redesigning the operational plan.

Q: Sir, the President was not aware of the operational plan?

SAFT: I believe so. Hindi naman ganun e, you don't go to Malacanang, bringing all the maps and everything. Wala tayo sa war time scenario. Ganun lang 'yun, it's either a go or no go because the President is presuming that all the commanders below him would know what to do.

Q: Si Gen. Purisima, may accountability ba siya? Dahil ba suspended siya, wala na rin ba, pero may alam pa rin siya?

SAFT: Sa aking pananaw, based dun sa mga nasagap ko, wala siyang pananagutan dahil hindi naman sya yung gumawa ng plano. Kung sya man ang nagbigay ng go signal na hiningi nila, e si Presidente nagbigay na ng go signal, so wala e. I don't see any liability.

Q: Pero he can claim credit sa pagkapatay ni Marwan?

SAFT: Sa akin, hindi rin. Kung baga at this point in time, the last thing anybody should do is to claim credit for anything kasi may namatay na 44. Mabigat yun.

Q: Magkakaroon ba ng liability kung sasabihin ni Napenas na nag- order si Purisima? Na it was not an advice, but an order.

SAFT: It was an order that he could have defied kasi alam niya na suspended si Purisima.

Q: Si Napenas talaga ang...?

SAFT: Oo, kasi ako kunyari nasa AFP, ako kunyari meron akong commanding officer na na-relieve na, bago na yung commanding officer at sinunod ko yung relieved commanding officer, sa akin yung problema kasi I did not know the difference. I didn't differentiate between the two; I didn't know the chain of command. Pero ngayon, maliwanag ang chain of command nila. Nung inassign na OIC si Gen. Espina, then sya na yun direct superior nya, hindi na si Gen. Purisima.

Q: Dapat bang magresign si Napenas?

SAFT: I believe he was already relieved.

Q: Relieved, Sir, pero ang sabi nya magreresign sya kung hindi si Marwan yung napatay?

SAFT: Sa akin kasi very touching yung situation. Remember yung SAF yung namatayan tapos boss nila yan si Gen. Napenas and nirerespeto nila yan si Gen. Napenas; so, any administrative matter yan na tatanggalin mo or pagreresignin mo, mabigat yan for them. Pero we will have to be very objective in dealing with this thing. Titignan natin kung nagsabi man sayo si Gen. Purisima, dapat walang value sayo yun kasi wala na siyang authortiy at that time. Just to be blunt about it, it should not have any value at all.

Q: Sir sinabi ni Gen. Napenas na sige, "Ako na ang sisihin." Meron bang pwedeng ikaso?

SAFT: Wala. Sa akin even criminal hindi pwedeng kasuhan dun si Gen. Napenas, at most, administrative case for precisely that - following Gen. Purisima, not coordinating, yung mga ganung punto lang. So yuon ang the most. Hindi sila pwedeng kasuhan.

Q: Pano, Sir, yung justice na sinisigaw ng mga relatives ng namatay?

SAFT: Yung justice, hihinigin natin dun sa kabilang side, dun sa mga pumatay. Dapat dun tayo magfocus muna doon muna sa fact na andudun sa area. Alam ba ng MILF na andudun si Marwan? That's one. So, I would like to think na violation yun ng peace agreement kasi may mutual trust tayo dapat kasi itong si Marwan pumapatay ng mga sibilyan tapos kinakanlong nila. So, yun ang kailangan nilang sagutin. Pangalawa, kailangan natin ma-ascertain for sure kung na-mutilate nga ba o hindi yung mga SAF troopers dahil iba rin yun, may aggravating offenses din yun e, yung pagdedesecrate nung patay, may ibang level of hatred na involved sa mga ganung sitwasyon; So, 'yun ang mga kailangan natin sagutin. Tapos, bakit sila may joint operations, technically, with the BIFF. So, these are the questions na kailangan masagot through the investigation.

Q: Based on what you've heard may pagkululang ba ang AFP pagdating sa assistance?

SAFT: Malalaman natin dun sa specific timelines dahil we know for a fact na nakapag-rescue sila nung survivors, nung 84th SAF Company; so, in that sense, nakapagresponde sila. How soon? Dun natin malalaman yun. Kunyari when the information was relayed, when the call for help was relayed, anong oras, gaano kabilis dumating; so malalaman natin yan sa investigation.

Q: Pero, Sir, right now some AFP and PNP officials are blaming each other in public appropriate po ba yun?

SAFT: Hindi appropriate yun. It's doing more harm than good at tama si Sen. Frank Drilon, tumahimik muna lahat. Dapat even Malacanang, isa lang ang boses para hindi nagcocontribute dun sa confusion at galit ng lipunan.

Q: Anong dapat gawin ni Pangulong Aquino para makabawi sya rito kasi sya yung napuputukan, siya yung hinihinging magresign?

SAFT: Unang-una dapat maging cooperative sila dito sa investigation, wala dapat white wash kung ano talaga, then sabihin. Mas maappreciate pa yan ng ating mamamayan. Dun naman sa morale ng SAF at AFP, sa SAF talagang masama loob nila, it may take time bago talaga mawala yan kasi masakit ang mawalan ng kasamahan nilang pulis. It will take time. Pero kailangan magbridge na siya ngayon. He should direct people to reach out to the SAF personnel to make sure na, palagay ko na ang talagang pinaka hinihingi nila dito ay yung hustisya nga, yung hustisya, dun yun sa pano niya tratuhin yung MILF at other perpetrators nitong act na ito. Pagka nag-assure siya na hahabulin nya itong mga ito, malaking bagay' yun for them. In addition to that, itong sa AFP, while yung morale is so far okay, pero inoobserbahan nila how the President treats the MILF and the Bansgsamoro Basic Law. Pagka-nakita nila rito na dehadong-dehado ang gobyerno dito at baka mapaghamak ang kapwa nila sundalo at ang other stakeholders sa Mindanao, yoon makaka-aggravate 'yun ng morale issue.

Q: Ibig sabihin sa ngayon hindi nariringgan ang Pangulo ng matapang na statement sa MILF.

SAFT: Hindi lang statement kundi kung ano talaga ang gagawin. Kasi merong pumatay, yan ang inaantay ng SAF, dapat meron tayong kino-compel. In fact, to be fair to the President, sinabi na niya sa MILF na "i-produce nyo yung mga sumama dyan sa encounter na yan," tapos kung sino man yung salarin i-turn over nila at yung mga equipment i-turn over; so, yun ang mga naririnig natin sa Malacanang. Pero baka kulang yun, baka kailangan yun ng follow-through in terms of action.

Q: At dapat mangyari yan as soon as possible kasi tumitindi na nga yung emosyon?

SAFT: Dapat. Dapat mas umikli yung timeline.

Q: Sir wala man lang follow up operations man lang?

SAFT: Well, understandable yun kasi yun na nga, na-accomplish naman yung mission tapos ngayon hindi pa alam kung sino yung perpetrators. Baka lang later on, lumabas puro BIFF kunyari yung mga lumaban, di sa akin mag-mount na ng massive operations, massive offensive yung AFP para at least yun na nga yung hustisyang hinihingi ng mga kaanak ng mga namatay na pulis.

Q: Pero, sir, yun bang destabilization plot against the Aquino administration is possible kung immediately walang makitang kumpletong aksyon ang administrasyon? Kasi ang dami nang nanawagan for the president to resign or to be removed from office and then may mga families na gusto na mag-join sa pag resign ng pangulo possible po ba yun?

SAFT: Sa akin kasi, ang nag-gagatong dito, political forces. Biruin mo saan ka makakakita, pati yung mga grupo ng komunista ay nanawagan ng hustisya eh kung ambushin nga rin nila tong SAF eh ganun ganun na lang. Kaya dapat, nakikita ng mga kababayan natin yan na ginagatungan yun issue. Ang bottomline kasi dito, bakit mo paaalisin si President Aquino? Admittedly may mga lapses pero hindi naman siya masamang tao. I believe his heart is in the right place at hindi siya magnanakaw. So, yan yung mga basic reasons bakit ka mag papatalsik ng isang president. So, when all is said and done, yun ang fact. Itong mga gumagatong, maaaring gusto nila ma-divert yung issue, maaaring gusto ma-take advantage yung sitwasyon para makapwesto kagad; so, kailangan maging discerning tayo.

Q: So yung mga political forces na taking advantage, yan ay coming from the former Arroyo administration? May mga nag take advantage na po ba talaga?

SAFT: Let's just say na marami tayo nakukuhang information ngayon at pinoprocess natin. Pinapasa rin natin sa security forces natin, sa intelligence community para sila na ang mag validate pero I will stop short of naming names muna.

Q: So, may nag take advantage po sir?

SAFT: Meron talaga. Meron nag-oorganisa. May meeting sila, yung sequence of events nila ginagawa na nila. You can feel it moving. Pati sa media may nag-ooperate na.

Q: At ang motibo nila is matanggal sa pwest ang pangulo?

SAFT: To take advantage of the situation - yung sama ng loob ng mga kababayan natin, pinapaigting pa nila, hoping it will lead to something. Kasi valid yung mga sama ng loob ng mga kababayan natin ngayon eh, so, kailangan lang idiin pa, gatungan pa malay mo, yun ang kanilang pananaw at this point.

Q: Hindi po ba ang order mang gagaling sa commander in chief pero yung reactions nung SAF nung nagsasalita si PNOY kung ano gusto gawin eh tahimik lang.

SAFT: Dahil masama po ang loob nila. Hindi pa humuhupa yung galit at lungkot dun sa mga nangyari kaya it's totally understandable at ngayon hindi pa rin nila alam kung sino ba ang salarin dito. Ang sa kanila lang kasi, sa perspective ng mga SAF personnel ay humingi ng tulong yung kanilang mga tropa pero hindi dumating yun tulong. Mahirap intindihin yun kung bakit ganun. Para sa kanila, buhay pa nung tanghaling tapat, nagsimula yung bakbakan mga 4:00, mahaba yun oras na yun. Kumbaga in their perspective "eight hours yun, bakit walang nangyari?", tapos sinasabi nung commander nila na humingi naman sila ng tulong at sila mismo lahat tinatawagan nila, yung kamag-anak, mga kakilala, pero the help did not come. So, yun talaga yun, mahirap lunukin yung ganun sitwasyon. But on a strategic level, nakikita mo why it happened that way.

Q: Kung mapapakalma ba yung situation, macoconvince ba si PNOY maibibigay yung justice kung suspendehin muna yung talks sa Bangsamoro Law, since in doubt na nga yun sincerity nila?

SAFT: Sakin, that could be one of the options; but you have to understand iba kasi yun level natin. Yung ordinaryong mamamayan pwede siyang mag mura, pwede magalit, pwede sabihin i-all out war natin, i-suspend natin. Pero bilang president, nakikita niya lahat e. Tatay siya e, hindi lang ng mga taga-maynila na mainit ang ulo, kundi mga tiga-Mindanao whether Christian man yan o muslim na sila maaapektohan kung ano man yung policy dito. He should clear the noise and decide objectively kung ano dapat niyang gawin sa ikabubuti ng bansa.

Q: Sir, yun sabi niyo na pag nakita ng AFP o nung sundalo na madedehado sila sa kilos ni president, maaapektohan yun morale nila or morale issue, ano yung worst thing that could happen kung hindi naitaas ulit?

SAFT: Marami. Maraming pwede mangyari pero nga sinasabi lang natin dito, it should be addressed and it should be addressed soon. I'm talking hindi lang dito sa Mamasapano incident, but even the BBL yung Bangsamoro Basic Law. Kung makikita yan ng mga sundalo na it will create more problems than it's supposed to solve, then it may be a cause for something bigger or further deterioration of the morale.

Q: Is coup on the rise at this time?

SAFT: Wala. Wala tayong nararamdaman na ganun kasi ultimately babalik ka dun sa basic question, bakit ba natin tatanggalin si President Aquino? Dahil hindi siya umattend sa arrival honors? Or dahil medyo hindi maganda yung mensahe niya nung Wednesday evening? Yun yun e, pero nga later on, kung parang napapaboran yung MILF, parang bine-baby, it will not be taken lightly by the SAF personnel and by the Armed Forces.

Q: Yung group na sinasabi niyo, sir, na kumikilos hoping na it will lead to something, something meaning?

SAFT: Let's say a social upheaval. For now ganun yun hope nila nagbui-build sila, nag pa-plano nga eh, nag meeting sila. May series of activities sila. In the coming days, may mga makikita na kayo placards placards jan ulit eh. Ang tragedy ditto, ang irony is, eh mga ano to eh, these are connected to communist insurgents na sila rin nag-aambush din naman ng the very same people, yung SAF or mga sundalo pero ngayon, kunyari nagsisimpatya sila.

Q: Sir, this is a political group?

SAFT: Halo-halo na eh

Q: Not just one group, Sir?

SAFT: Oo, iba iba. May mga ibang elements from the Catholic Church, some leftist groups, some political groups.

Q: Political opposition, Sir?

SAFT: I don't see the administration groups being involved there.

Q: Sir, pag napatalsik si PNOY ang papalit si Binay

SAFT: Yun na nga, para tayong nag hanap ng batong ipupokpok sa ulo natin. We don't want that. Personally, I don't. So you can count me out sa mga ano na yan. Well, seriously yan ang issue e - tatanggalin mo tong presidenteng...May mga shortcoming, may character flaws, may mga lapses, pero his heart is in the right place at hindi siya magnanakaw. So, bakit ko nga siya tatanggalin uli? That's the question sa gustong sumama sa mga ganyang pagkilos. Pero nga, ang pwedeng mag-negate ng mga positive attributes na yan ay yung pagtrato sa MILF at Bangsamoro Basic Law. Yoon yung mga nakakalap natin na impormasyon.

Q: Sir, you said you absolve the Predisent of liabiltiy but is it not the commander in chief supposed to inform his top security officials, kunyari your DILG secretary, don't they discuss these major security matters? Parang in terms of the President being also responsible for that, ss it only Napenas' obligation to coordinate or to talk about that?

SAFT: No. There's no liability in that because as commander in chief, he has the prerogative to choose all those people who need to know about the operation. It was his judgment call; he believes that the operational security of the mission is paramount, then that call was made. Looking back, titignan natin, tama ba yung naging desisyon nya? Tama, kasi napatay si Marwan e. Hindi nag-leak yung information, hindi natip-pan. Ngayon, let's go back to that question, kung si Sec. Mar Roxas ba at si Gen. Espina nakaalam, would it change how things turned out? I doubt it. Kasi hindi nila pakikialaman yung operational plan.

Q: Sir, on Monday magstep-in yung Committee on Public Order, may advise si Sen. Guingona na dapat maging maingat kasi pwedeng may serious implications sa national security, political implication. So, as former military man, dapat bang mas maingat sa paghandle, dapat bang magsagawa ng executive session? Ano yung sa tingin nyong dapat maging paghandle dito sa investigation?

SAFT: Alam nyo ang situation right now is a national security concern. Precisely, galit nga yung tao, maraming nagdedemand ng transparency at accountability; so, kailangan mong i-expose as much as you can. Ilabas nyong lahat ng pwedeng ilabas. Pagka-meron talagang very sensitive information like the source of the intelligence, yoon pwede natin sabihin we can skip that altogether or kung meron parin mag-iinsist, dapat executive session yun. Pero all the rest, even the operational matters narereport na nga sa media e kailangan malaman kasi yun yung magpapahupa sa sitwasyon; so, I would rather look at it at that light than yung magtatago kami tapos mas kakalat yung mga kuro-kuro at mga spekulasyon na magpapalala sa sitwasyon.

Q: Sir, yung mga survivors, andun ata yung kanilang takot na kung pag in public yung kanilang pagbigay testimony baka balikan sila? So, dapat bang iexecutive session kasi parang sinabi ni Sen. Bongbong Marcos na meron ganung concern.

SAFT: Ako, ang suggestion ko dyan isa na lang dun sa mga survivors ang magrerelate nung istorya as they saw it. Tapos kung meron ibang idadagdag e 'di ipasok na nila ngayon doon para isa lang yung istorya nila at hindi na kailangan tanungin isa-isa pa, kasi yung ganung masyadong in detail, on a policy level hindi na siguro sa amin yun.

Q: Any related question? Sir matatabunan na ba ng nitong sa Mamasapano massacre yung investigation on corruption issues against VP Binay?

SAFT: Definitely natabunan kasi napaka-insensitive naman natin not to realize that fact. Ngayon, nagdadalamhati yung Filipino people; so, ganoon ang atensyon.

Q: What is your plan? Next week tuloy pa rin ba yung hearing on Blue Ribbon Sub-commmitee or ititigil muna?

SAFT: Itutuloy pa rin natin.

Q: Sa Thursday po?

SAFT: Sa Thursday po. Sabi ko nga sa inyo, hindi ko naman ito ginagawa para malagay tayo sa pahayagan or mareport tayo ni Cely, so ginagagawa natin ito because it needs to be done.

Q: How many more hearings?

SAFT: Siguro the most mga apat na lang.

Q: BSP and Pag-ibig?

SAFT: Tapos meron pa sa Makati.

Q: What happened dun sa arrest dun sa ibang Makati official considering yung kay Mayor Junjun Binay and incumbent administrator ay nabalewala na?

SAFT: Yun sa iba valid pa rin yun, kailangan parin silang pumunta rito. Yung sa tatlo na umattend, nanegate na yun, nacure na yun; so, okay na yun. Ngayon, a lot of people were asking bakit hindi kinulong kasi walang basis. The basis for contempt was non-appearance; so it was remedied by the appearance of Mayor Junjun Binay.

Q: Next Thursday may mga bago bang witness na ipre-present? May mga pasasabugin pa ba against VP Binay?

SAFT: Meron definitely. Sabi ko nga yung three remaining issues, as far as I'm concern, equal in magnitude; pero in light of what's happening, the media may not treat it as explosive as the others pero gusto na lang namin ilabas ito lahat para matapos na lang natin hopefully before we adjourn itong March kasi nga I was thinking aabot kami ng May kasi nga walang session ng April, so gusto na namin isiksik na para matapos na ng March.

Q: So target nyong iwrap up na ng March bago mag-adjourn ang session?

SAFT: Ayun ang sinabi ni Sen. Koko Pimentel. Ako, I'm willing to submit to his descision kasi gusto na namin isiksik na lahat.

Q: Baka daw makabawi na si Binay.

SAFT: Ang sa akin it's up to the people; kung baga sa akin ito na, we showed everything that needs to be shown. It's up to you kung gusto nyo ng ganyang Presidente, sa akin nga wag na natin patagalin, gawin na natin ngayon sabi ng nag-oorganisa.

Q: So, Sir, kung iwrawrap up na by March, target nyo ng maglabas ng committee report habang naka-adjourn?

SAFT: Nung unang pinag-usapan maglalabas kami ng partial committee report after the Makati Parking Building; but since may kaso naman nafile sa Ombudsman, 'di ba normally yung commitee report is recommendatory and it is used to file for a case, so, nawala na yung sense yung urgency sa amin kaya naman tinuloy tuloy na namin instead of coming up with a partial committee report. Ngayon, ang sinasabi ni Sen. Koko Pimentel maglalabas na sya, just the same, ng partial committee report in relation to the Makati Parking Building. pero yun na nga, it won't change the fact na meron ng case na nakafile sa Ombudsman. So, iko-correct ko lang, marami nagsasabi, masyado na raw matagal, kailangan maifile na yung kaso, ifile na raw yung dapat ifile. Nafile na last year pa. Nagtataka ako peryodista pa yung nagtatanong din, nareport na yun, binannner na yun sa dyaryo mismo nila nung mga nagtatanong, so basahin nyo yung dyaryo nyo. Very mean na naman. (Laughs) Finile na, dalawang kaso na nga yung nafile e, in relation to the Makati Parking Building and the Makati Science High School Building. So, whether we file a committee report or not, it is already there plus tatlong beses na tayong nagtuturn in ng documentary evidence and transcript sa Ombudsman. So wala tayong dinedelay.

Q: Number one, anong sinasabi nyon character flaws ni Presidente? And number two tama ba yung ginagawang pagdepensa ni Kris?

SAFT: I believe as the sister of the President this is personal to them. Everytime inaatake si PNoy, even on a personal level, they feel affected. Ako nga magtataka ako kund 'di sila magrereact. So it's totally understandable. Anyway, public figure naman si Ms.Kris Aquino.

Q: Nakakatulong ba sya kay PNoy?

SAFT: I don't know. Tapos ngayon yung character flaws ni Presidente, may oras ba tayo (laughs). Seriously, palagay ko alam na nya ng lahat. Kayo mas na-encounter nyo sya rito, si former Sen. Noynoy Aquino so alam nyo yun more than I do.

Q: Pero, Sir, maraming bang lessons na dapat matutunan si PNoy dito?

SAFT: Definitely. He should learn from this, and I believe by learning from it, mas mapatatag siya as a person, yung kanyang character, at mas maging effective siya as a leader and commander in chief of the country.

Q: Di ba it's too late considering na almost a year na lang ang natitira sa term niya.

SAFT: You can say that, but itong next several months critical ito sa bansa natin. Kailangan natin ng mas effective na leader, and I believe, the President should step up.

Q: Are you confident that the president can finish his term?

SAFT: I certainly hope so. But we will make sure, gagawin natin lahat ang ating makakaya para matapos nya yan. In terms dun sa mga potential destab in the future, I can be a conduit, I can be a voice para dun sa Armed Forces para maparating nila yung mga hinaing nila kay Presidente at para mapahupa rin yung sitwasyon at mapakalma sila, gagawin natin yan.

Q: Right now may mga lumalapit sa inyo, sa inyo pinaparating yung kanilang mga sentimyento against the Administration?

SAFT: Yes, maraming nakakarating sa atin at nirelay natin sa Presidente.

Q: Yung kanina lang sa MILF, yung sinabi nyong nakukulangan kayo in terms of how the President is handling the MILF situation?

SAFT: No, that's the feedback I'm getting. I'm trying to be neutral whenever I say that kasi dalawa yung role ko - as a conduit nitong mga troops on the ground at the same time as a legislator; so, I'm talking as a conduit or as a sounding board.

Q: Pero Sir kayo what do you think about how the President is treating the MILF kasi nung nakaraan nyang speech di naman talaga sya nagsabi about the MILF ang sinabi nyang justice ay makuha yung isa pang terorista but not getting it from MILF?

SAFT: But I read in one of the news reports sabi nya dinedemand nyang yung MILF, dinedemand nya from the MILF to produce yung who were involved in that encounter.

Q: So is that enough?

SAFT: Malaking step yun kasi nasa context tayo ng peace agreement, ng peace talks. Kung wala tayong peace talks, the only thing na magagawa nya rito is a massive offensive operation pero may peace talks tayo, yun ang pwede nyang gawin.

Q: Tuloy pa rin Sir? Higher post pa rin?

SAFT: Wag muna nating pag-usapan para 'di na mahalo.