Press Release
August 24, 2016

SEN. GRACE POE'S KAPIHAN TRANSCRIPT
Kapihan sa Manila Bay

Marichu Villanueva: Let me get your first-hand experience everyday just like me, ako Manila to Paranaque, it used to take me 1 hour to go home. We are connecting this issue to the emergency powers, supposedly to address the severe traffic crisis in the country.

Sen. Grace Poe: Alam ko hindi naman ito isang karanasan lang natin. Lahat ng mga naririto ay nakakaranas ng ganyan. Kaya kung kayo one and a half hours from Paranaque to Manila, ako naman an average of 2 hours just to go to the Senate from my house and then probably even worse, is returning home kasi yun yung medyo...

Marichu Villanueva: 3 hours na traffic?

Poe: ...The JICA study said its about P2 billion a day wasted (on traffic), now according to Sec. Tugade it's about P3 billion wasted a day because of traffic. So the President has already said that he would like to have this emergency powers at least for traffic, you're aware of this. Now we would like for this administration to succeed in this particular regard because we will all be beneficiaries. Now I understand the bottlenecks, so to speak with regard to traffic. Number one is procurement, number two is coordination with the local governments and right of way issues and many other issues that can be addressed perhaps by an emergency power, something that will probably shorten the process. In our procurement law there are several ways that we can procure, so there is selective bidding, there is direct bidding, and there is negotiated procurement. Yung sinasabi na mas gusto nila, they will choose a reputable company with the right capitalization, right equipment, track record, etc. That can be done with the emergency powers because you can go direct and then you don't have to go through the entire COA process. Kaya lang, what we are trying to safeguard again is that when you rest power in one person, even if that person will delegate, it can still be quite dangerous. Definitely it can be open to abuses because on the other side of the spectrum, it can be ultra-efficient and fair or it can be abusive. So the conditions are: Number one, whatever emergency powers we grant should be FOI-compliant...

Villanueva: Pero ma'am, FOI-compliant sa executive pa rin iyon.

Poe: Pero for the emergency powers, we can stipulate that even the local governments that will be involved, they have to be FOI-compliant. But it's really in the part of the contracts that we enter into. Also the contractors that we will hire. Number two aside from FOI-compliant..

Villanueva: Ma'am, teka, pati yung private sector dapat may FOI din? Yung private contractors?

Poe: At least pagdating sa qualification po nila, opo. Kasi papaano natin malalaman, katulad nung nangyari doon sa maintenance ng MRT, kung mayroon nga silang track record, capitalization, sino yung mga board members nila, yung mga owners, baka mamaya may kamag-anak sa DOTr, na hindi naman dapat, diba? So, kasama sila sa gobyerno, sa mga proyekto, handa silang buksan yun at ipaliwanag kung bakit...Number two, dapat fiscally responsible...No hidden costs, no guaranteed government sovereignty, so dapat iyan pigilan natin. It's timebound, because it says also in our Constitution that it cannot exceed a certain number, which is three years. The term of Congress. So pwedeng three years, pwedeng shorter, but not more. And of course, part of the timebound (condition), is that there should be certain deliverables. Sabi ko nga, we want to give them elbow room. But they have to submit what we need (to solve traffic woes), and we need to be able to see if this is reasonable, practical, achievable. Although we can't foresee everything, as long as the intention is there, and it is not to cheat the public, we will allow them that. But again, we won't be issuing them a blank check.

Villanueva: How do you objectively define fiscally responsible?

Poe: Again, pag sinabi nating fiscally responsible, yung mga industry standards like for example, magkano ba per kilometer talaga ang kalsada na ginagawa? 10 million, pero ganito kakapal. Pero kapag transfer to airport, may standard na mas makapal yan. So yun ang pagbabasehan natin. It's just an example of, you know, fiscally responsible. Kung 10 million iyan, sa mahal na proseso, minamadali natin ito. Kailangang 24 hours ang trabaho. Sabihin na natin, nag-increase ng 25-50%, maiintindihan natin. But the pay-off is more for the general public because they will be able to enjoy those roads, and durable pa.

Villanueva: Will you be coming up with a bill?

Poe: When I was asked about this, I said that the bottleneck will not be in the Senate because we will be able to conduct hearings frequently and consistently but when we ask the DOTr, give us already, as early as now, while we are discussing the problems in the hearings, what your proposed projects are. Diba? Wala pa eh. May shopping list ka na. Kahit na 'di pa kumpleto.

Villanueva: Ano yung covered ng emergency powers na iyon?

Poe: Opo. At least magka-idea na kami in general. Halimbawa may kailangang sampu, pero sasabihin ni Sec. Tugade na kulang pa kasi pinag-aaralan pa, para at least may range tayo...At isa pa, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, sa House, hindi pa nila nakukuha ang chairmanships ng ibang committee nila. Hindi katulad sa amin, ang public services at franchises magkasama po iyan. Isa lang ang chairman, ako po. (Note: House counterpart is committee on transportation)

Villanueva: Eh, paano ang infra?

Poe: Kasi po, lahat iyan under public services, kami ang overseer, that is why DPWH will also be invited in our hearings together with DBM, with NEDA, lahat iyan. But part also of the stipulation with what they had in the time of Pres. Ramos is that there will be an oversight committee composed of the Senate and Congress. But there is a primary difference in our oversight. Number one, perhaps it didn't work well during that administration because they only published the contract two weeks after it was signed. Whereas in our case, even while we are still drafting it, or even while we are still proposing it, we will show you before it is even signed or agreed upon. Contracts, proposals, whatever. So aside from the oversight of the Senate and Congress, I'm sure some of you will have misgivings--kayo kayo na naman ang mag-oversight niyan. I, as the chairman of the committee on public services in the Senate, will invite private sector advisers that will be part of it to look at the contracts. Kasi hindi naman kami expert diba? I'm looking at... Di ko na muna sasabihin kasi di ko pa pinapaalam sa kanila. Kung ma-approve itong oversight, kasama po doon isang ex-chief Justice na pwedeng tumingin, isang economist, at saka isang engineer or sinupaman na talagang alam yung mga kontratang yan. Hindi pwedeng lahat gobyerno lang.

Villanueva: Speaking of working ahead of the bill, I was told you conducted last night a surprise inspection at the South Terminal and you saw for yourself....May we know your personal impressions last night from your inspection?

Poe: It has always been my practice that before I conduct a hearing and discuss something, I try to at least go to those places and physically feel it.

Villanueva: Like what did you did in the MRT.

Poe: I did that so alam ko yung sinasabi ko--hindi lang lahat nakabase sa papel at report. Pumunta ako doon after work, very convenient naman...Yan ang terminal na pinagmamalaki ng MMDA noon.

Villanueva: Tsaka ni Joseph Abaya, yung DOTC.

Poe: Ganito po yan, nung 2013 po, if I'm not mistaken, the President signed an administrative order that said we should create those terminals. So Southwest, meron naman sa Taguig, isa pa meron pa sa North.

Villanueva: Oo yan yung DOTC, at MMDA yata.

Poe: Correct...Basta ang alam ko, MMDA is in charge dun sa Southwest pero siyempre under the jurisdiction pa rin ng DOTC. Tapos yung dito naman sa DPWH sa Cavite sa may Taguig na ilalagay, Ayala yan. Tapos yung sa North, either DPWH or sa DOTC (ang in-charge). Hanggang ngayon wala pa yung (terminal) sa South, yung dito sa may Taguig. Wala pa yung sa North, hindi pa nabibili yung lupa.

Ang ginawa lang yung dito nga sa Southwest. Ngayon pumunta kayo dun, unang-una, parang isang mall lang yun na may mga parking lot. Hindi yan designated lot that is actually best for buses. So may mga lalakaran ka pa imbes na seamless yung flow. Number two, yung mga walkways dun sa ilalim pagbaba mo ng footbridge, sorry, napakadumi.

Villanueva: Nakita ko yung litrato, sa @teamgracepoe (twitter). Parang may natutulog na mga tao dun sa walkway.

Poe: Opo tapos merong nagdadala ng mga container, naghihilamos, nanghuhugas--walkway po ito. May mga makeshift ladder na para bang pupunta kayo dun sa All Saints Day sa North Cemetery, nilagay dun ng mga tao para maka-shortcut. Ang waiting area, sabi ko ano to, chapel? Kasi parang benches noh, okay lang naman. It was not full at that time but merong maliit na waiting area parang sa terminal ng airport, sarado at hindi pwedeng gamitin. Sabi ko, ba't hindi to pwedeng gamitin? Dahil daw out of order na ang aircon. Sabi ko, saan ang CR dito? Tatlong stalls lang yung CR ng babae, sira pa yung isa. Siguro mga 20 meters away ka pa lang from the CR, naaamoy mo na. So self-respect na lang, respeto na lang sa ating kapwa. We are supposedly almost a successful economy. Globally, we're trying to be competitive, we're trying to gain our status in the ASEAN region, and this is the type of terminal we have. So talagang ang laki ng problema diyan sa terminal na yan that the government really has to be able to buy its own land. I met with the bus association, the provincial bus association. Maganda yung proposal nila and I will let them speak in our next hearing. Ang sabi nila sa akin, kami na ang gagastos sa terminal, yung association ng provincial, no cost to the government, we will submit the plan but we know how to design a terminal so that all of us will be able to maximize our time.

Villanueva: Common use nila.

Poe: Siyempre, common use nila, hindi nila papangitan yan, ayaw nilang malugi sila. Now what the government will just look out for is the safety of all the passengers, the footbridges and how to connect them. Sabi ko, wow, if they can make it state of the art, why not? That would be one thing less in the mind of Sec. Tugade except supervision na lang. So sa emergency powers I guess if you don't have this kind of setup under the PPP we can perhaps grant it to them to be done. So this is something we're looking into. There's a light at the end of the tunnel if you'll just keep an open mind and we will allow stakeholders to really have a stake...

Villanueva: Models for others to follow.

Poe: Opo tapos akalain niyo wala pa nga tayong terminal sa north...Ang alam ko dito sa South terminal, diyan sa may Taguig, Ayala yan. May commercial value iyan for them, pero dapat talaga may consulation also with the bus operators...Para at least, reputable yung kukunin natin.

Villanueva: Pero with that you might pay, I think kapag commercial, the public will have to pay for that.

Poe: Baka nga maningil sila. So kailangan, matanong iyan. Katulad ng mga PPP natin nung nakaraang administrasyon, yan ang hindi natin masyadong gusto kasi may premium na binabayad kaya tumaataas ang fees sa end user, tayo yun. Either toll road, airport terminal fee, etc.

Villanueva: Terminal fee...Maintenance...I just heard kanina that DOTr Sec. Tugade is now the traffic czar because he now presides over the MMDA. What do you say about that?

Poe: Actually it's a suggestion from a few people. There should be a central person in charge who actually has the power to wield. The problem with MMDA before...hindi mo malaman--ano ba, traffic ba kayo, relief operations ba kayo, pampaganda ba kayo ng Metro Manila na hindi naman maganda yung piniling tiles...Nagmukhang banyo tuloy yung mga underpass. So parang iniisip natin, dapat may isang point person na pwede nating purihin at pwede rin nating sisihin. Ngayon, sa pag-uusap namin ni Sec. Tugade, mukha namang may leadership style. We'll see. The important thing is to have a person that is directly responsible. One of the things that people post is that there should be a central traffic coordinating agency that will supercede and be above all the local governments. Kasi ang mahirap po diyan, ito ang MMDA. Pero lumiko ka ng kaunti dito, LGU na ang in-charge. Gusto mo na free flowing ang traffic dito, pero kapag kumaliwa na, iba na. Hindi nato-tow dito kasi si mayor na ang in charge diyan. So there really has to be one central board that will override the others.

Villanueva: Do you need a new legislative proposal, a new law to define the DOTr taking over the traffic engineering?

Poe: Perhaps, so that we won't be dependent on an emergency power. We probably have to revisit the local government and also the MMDA charter. But with the emergency powers in the meantime, we're still drafting it. Isa pa po iyan sa mga guest namin sa hearing, yung mga constitutionalists. Kasi diba isa sa emergency powers na hinihingi ni Sec. Tugade ay para wala nang mga TRO from the lower courts. Hindi natin alam kung pinapayagan iyon. Sa emergency powers, yung pipigilan mo ang korte na mag-issue ng TRO. We need somebody that will discuss this, we'll have the Solicitor General.

Villanueva: Speaking of emergency powers, given his 55 days in power and his initial accomplishments, aren't you worried of giving the emergency powers given his tendency to abuse our language?

Poe: I am not afraid to grant emergency powers if I feel that we have the safeguards there. With those checklists, Congress has the power to withdraw it. Just like the pronouncements of the president, when he says I will declare this and that, we know that the 1987 Constitution was specifically created to prevent something like that. So unless you go the revolutionary route...you can always invoke it. So in my case, my conscience will be clear in granting it as long as I know that we have the safeguards there.

Villanueva: Within the Constitution itself?

Poe: Yes.

Villanueva: Yeah. Anyway since we're talking about Pres. Duterte, I know you were very close during the presidential debate, very close kayo ni President Duterte nun, how do you now feel with him at Malacanang?

Poe: From the time I conceded and I spoke to him over the phone

Villanueva: And you were the first one to concede.

Poe: ...Ginawa natin yun because ever since naman, my goal was really to offer an alternative. To offer solutions to our countrymen and to respect the electoral process. It was a clear lead, bakit pahahabain pa yung drama. So going back to your question, the last time I spoke to him, yung huli kong pag-uusap ay yung nag-concede ako...Nag-thank you siya, nagtawanan na kami nung nag-concede ako...Ang sabi ko congratulations.

Villanueva: Do you have any regrets running?

Poe: I never regret having offered myself as an alternative to the public. Kung maalala po ninyo nung ako po'y nagdesisyon, ang pagpipilian lang ninyo noon ay dalawa...Siguro, noong mga panahon na yun kung nakita ko may isa pang alternatibo, marahil hindi ako tumuloy. Siguro isa na mas may karanasan, isa na pareho yung aming adbokasiya, malinis at makakapagbigay ng inspirasyon. Gayunpaman, what other opportunity would you have to actually force yourself to review the problems of the country and go around the country? Aside from the Senate race, ito kasi, you have to study every single issue, every single department, and if there's anything I really did was to make sure that I understood it. I spent countless hours reading up on all these things, so ngayon hindi na ako natatakot kasi napag-aralan ko na rin yun. Kahit na sa ibabaw lang, skimming through it, hindi mo mare-realize na kaya mo pala ang tatlong oras na tulog araw-araw sa kampanya.

Villanueva: You lost a lot of pounds during the campaign.

Poe: It is the most expensive weight loss program ever...

Villanueva: Anyhow we just had an election last May 9, Presidential elections and October malapit na, we will be having another Barangay SK elections and now there are proposals in Congress which COMELEC supports to postpone the Barangay SK elections and I think Senate will have a public hearing on that proposal. Anong take mo doon ma'am?

Poe: Maraming nagre-request na mga barangay na ipagpaliban na muna at honestly, initially I was thinking masyado rin maikli kasi yung term minsan ng barangay eh. So when we deliberate on that in the Senate, we'll just make sure that extending their term is not for them to be able to abuse their position but to actually be able to see their programs through. But in the case of the SK, alam mo meron isang writer na sinabi nga na yung mga projects ng SK sobrang flash in the pan. Nagpapatayo sila ng isang basketball court, okay naman yung programs for the youth but perhaps in tandem with the programs of this administration for rehabilitation. Maybe the SK can have programs to actually include those ex-addicts or recovering addicts. Part of their budget that should go to a counselling program and activities so that we can have that rehabilitation. As you know, we have about 500,000 addicts who have surrendered.

Villanueva: 600,000 na.

Poe: We only have 44 rehabilitation centers around the country, so talagang kulang. Part of our proposal is to have DOH, they already have a program for certain addiction, to give you medication, counter-medication for that. Also, maybe a portion of every hospital for recovering addicts. Kasi, in the meantime that we're building those rehab centers that we need...Somebody donated 1 billion, but this will still take at least a year or two to be able to build those structures.

Villanueva: Maganda yung point mo na the way that the drug users are being treated ay somehow wala nang second chance.

Poe: I acknowledge the help of the CHR as well as the PNP. Both of them have a role to play and to balance each other out. You know, people always ask me about the death penalty. My position during the campaign until now is perhaps for repeat offenders and for heinous crimes. But there are five pillars of justice--you have community, law enforcement, the courts, and the prison system, correction. That is all part of the process. Nakita naman natin ang ating mga kulungan. It's so inhuman. With summary killings and extra-judicial killings, ang nangyayari, it's almost as if we allowed the death penalty but without the people having the chance to defend themselves. So it's actually double whammy. It's worse. So, that's why I had to also give some moral boost to the CHR. Some people who are impatient will probably say, "pampagulo lang kayo," but we need that. And trust me, kapag nawala iyan, mas nakakatakot also for us...You know, I thank the PNP Chief because I said if there was anything he was good at, he is a good communicator. Naiintindihan siya ng ating mga kababayan. Initially they were saying these human rights violations hearing will probably dent this administration. But because they have such an effective spokesperson who is saying "Look, I really don't want to do this, I'm tired already but this is for the better good." People like him all the more. So sabi ko, he's a good communicator. Importanteng naiintindihan ng tao kung anong ginagawa nila, nakasalalay sa balikat nila iyan. Pero sabi ko nga paalala din, ang kapangyarihan ay nakakalinlang. Minsan, kapag sobra ka nang makapangyarihan, nakakalimutan mo na ang kapangyarihan, ginagamit, mas madalas, para depensahan ang mga walang laban. Parang, alam mo naman ako, showbiz yung angle ko, A Few Good Men...Sabi nung isang Marine, parang bakit tayo dito sinisisi? We just followed orders. Ang sagot-because we were supposed to. What we needed to do was to defend the defenseless. That was the primary.

Villanueva: At least we know your stand.

Poe: You have my stand. But as I said, let us strengthen first and reform our judiciary and then, diba, may program na ngayon on anti-drugs, pwede bang mag-intay muna tayo kung magiging effective ito baka naman hindi kailangan ng death penalty kundi reinforcement lang ang kailangan. Pero, once it becomes apparent that this is the priority and it will be pushed, I would like to see the safeguards. Sa ating mga kababayan, nakakatakot din kung ilalagay diyan ang isang probisyon na death penalty agad for certain number of kilos of drugs na nakita. Kung may anak ka nga, na may kaaway, na pinlantahan tapos nag-tip, death penalty agad? So tingnan muna natin kung ano yung magiging probisyon.

Villanueva: Given those priority bills do you think there is a need now for the President to actively convince...

Poe: I think they will now...That was a missed opportunity during the last administration. I think more than....thirty (vetoed)? If I'm not mistaken a little more pa than that.

Villanueva: Yung nag-lapse into law yung 29.

Poe: Pero may mga na-veto.

Villanueva: Mga controversial pa...Legislative process takes a long while.

Poe: Long time tapos ma ve-veto lang? So kung may LEDAC, that would have been prevented. Legislative Executive Advisory Council.

Villanueva: Wasted so much time pati effort.

Poe: Mr. President i-ve-veto mo ba to o hindi? Pag sinabi naman ng Presidente i-ve-veto ko yan but Congress feels passionate about it then they're already ready na i-ve-veto yan, i-override natin.

Villanueva: O kaya less priority...

Poe: Let's see. Katulad ng last time, yung Social Security (pension) P2,000 increase. Kung malalaman na ma-ve-veto, baka naman pwedeng kausapin, magkano ang kaya niyo ngayon? Tapos mag-staggered increase, pwede naman sanang ganun kaysa sa all or nothing.

Villanueva: So wala pang something out from the Senate if LEDAC will indeed be conveyed?

Poe: Things kasi we hear from media first and apparently, next month the LEDAC will be convened specifically to discuss emergency powers.

Villanueva: Assuming ang House nakapag-constitute na ng kanilang counterpart committee, how long will you impose upon the votes for both chambers to come out with the emergency powers bill?

Poe: In parliamentary courtesy, we cannot impose a time on them. Perhaps we can do it on the side as fellow legislators, informal, pero kami po sa Senado, sabi ko nga before we go on break on December and I say this only...

Villanueva: Yun ang first break niyo December pa?

Poe: Hindi meron pa kaming break ng October kaya lang kahit na gusto ko yang itulak na mag-hearing tayo araw-araw. Number one, ang mga resource persons hindi ganun kabilis kumuha ng data. Number two, kapwa senador magba-budget hearing rin. Priority yun. Lahat ng kwarto sa Senado kuha na yan ng mga iba't-ibang hearing. Kung lumabas ka naman, wala ka ring makakasamang senador dahil mahirap rin kumuha ng ka-quorum. So basta lang by December, hopefully magawa na. Alam mo, tatlong buwan lamang natapos ko na yung FOI sa Senado eh. 8 months napasa na rin namin ang FOI noon nung 16th Congress, nagawa namin yan mabilis. So itong emergency powers, mas gusto nga nila ito dahil ang FOI marami ngang takot diyan kasi masisilip yung records nila. Pero itong emegency powers less takot sila diyan, so I think it will be a lot faster.

Villanueva: So ni-refile mo ba yung FOI bill, ma'am?

Poe: Opo na-refile na. Not just me, several Senators also refiled their version. (Note: Sen. Poe has refiled Senate Bill 159, or the proposed Freedom of Information Act)

Villanueva: But it will be going back to legislative stage 1? Step 1 of the legislative process?

Poe: Yes, but there's a growing awareness now for the need for FOI so I feel that in the Senate, they would be hardpressed to find somebody who will go against FOI. You know what, by early next year approved na yan I think ha. Kasi maghi-hearing na ako in September eh...

Villanueva: Saan napunta yun? Public information?

Poe: Public information. Ayaw kong bitawan (itong FOI) kasi naumpisahan na namin. I'm looking at, ito sobra na nga ito, tatlong hearing tapos na ito. Tatlong maiikling hearing ha kasi yung mga provisions diyan talagang ginugol namin ang oras namin...yung mga FOI advocates mismo, PCIJ's Malou Mangahas, Atty. Nepo Malaluan, Ramon del Rosario, yung mga abogado, lahat yan may input na dun.

Villanueva: What will happen to the FOI of EO Number 2? Will it be adopted there? Yung kay President Duterte, FOI to all Executive department.

Poe: Of course (the law) will be more recent. That's something we really, I think it would supersede that...Executive Order yan ito naman batas po.

Villanueva: So it will... How do we nullify EO number 2?

Poe: It will institutionalize (FOI) but kasi ganito yan, ito yung primary difference ha. Because it is now going to be a law, there will be actually criminal liability not just administrative, there will actually be a budget allocation for the different offices to have the capability to comply. As you know we have to do archiving, that entails expense. If you have to have online connectivity that will entail expense so that will have a proper budget. And number 3, the exceptions set by this administration for the Executive Order is not clear yet. I had a meeting with Secretary Andanar in my office yesterday and I asked a copy of the exceptions that they will have...Apparently they have it already so we can forward you a copy but one thing that I'm not very comfortable with is in this administration's EO, they will allow each department to have their definition of complying with the FOI. What their exceptions will be.

Villanueva: Yun nga problematic yung mga exceptions.

Poe: Anong exceptions ng each department? Sa amin po general na. Ito lang ang pwede ninyong exceptions, you cannot go and have your own exception unless it is something that will fall under the exceptions we set for.

Villanueva: The EO number 2 will be, to track yun. Isa yung sa Executive department, basta compliant sila sa FOI law?

Poe: Opo. Hindi pwedeng sila mag-contradict doon. If it does have conflict then the one that would prevail is the actual law.

Villanueva: Pero ma'am yung sa bill niyo ba meron na bang new body created? Kasi every time there's a problem, they create a new body.

Poe: FOI body? Walang nakalagay doon. Ombudsman po yung nakatala na...

Villanueva: Basta may budget lang to implement it?

Poe: May budget. Kasi each department will have to comply on their own with the law but one thing is, meron kasi kami doon e-provision. Kasi part of information is accessibility, so we had actually a meeting with an open-government partnership with the Philippines as a signatory that part of hiding information from the public is to flood them with information that they don't need. Alam niyo yun, yung parang pag may kaso kayo sasabihin, 'bigyan niyo kaming kopya ng mga ebidensya ninyo', bibigyan niyo ng isang storage full of information na hindi nila mahahanap yung kailangan nila. That's why there's certain things that the government is required to upload immediately in their website and others not necessary anymore. Ano yung mga i-upload? SALN ng bawat manggagawa doon, mga officers, internal revenue allotment, items to bid, yung actual budget nung department, employment opportunities. Yung mga ganoon na mabilis mo nang makikita, hindi ka na kailangang pumunta sa office para mag request.

Villanueva: This will be my last question to you and I will open the floor for questions. Anong realm mo sa budget, anong hina-handle mo?

Poe: Hindi ako vice chair ng committee on finance so I don't really have to defend the budget.

Villanueva: Anong naka-assign sayo?

Poe: Yung kailangan kong tingnan yung under doon sa committee namin. Yung mga mapupunta doon, kunyari public information, sa ilalim diyan, MTRCB, FDCP yung mga ganun. Taopos yung medyo malaki yung public services kasi diyan lahat ng mga alam mo, public services is to be able to do oversight on land, air, maritime, transport. So lahat that anything that has to do with that pati airport, titingnan ko yung budget na yun.

Villanueva: Kasama ba sa emergency powers yung airports?

Poe: Ang alam ko kasama kasi traffic but we're asking first for reports kasi they need to do certain emergency procurement like night landing lights in the provinces so that we can have flights 24 hours. Kasi ang problema pag pumunta kayong Isabela, halimbawa, pagdating ng alas-singko hindi ka na papayagang lumipad dahil wala namang night lights. Sayang diba.

Poe: All provincial flights can come in in the evening. And then also other procurement, like extending runways so that they can accept bigger airplanes to land, diba yung mga ganun? Kasama iyon. Ang sa amin kasi traffic lang talaga ngayon.

Villanueva: Pero may traffic din sa NAIA and in other airports?

Poe: That is why as we go further along this discussion, we would like to know exactly from Sec. Tugade what his priorities are. Kasi from my understanding, land traffic pa yung pinag-uusapan natin. Although there was a presentation from CAAP and all these other air transport...

Villanueva: Problematic din ang air traffic natin.

Poe: ...na baka makasama rin natin 'yon

Villanueva: Yun ang mas malalaking big ticket items.

Poe: Tama. At saka lahat tayo ay magiginhawaan din naman kung maging maayos yun.

Villanueva: Si Gov. Joey Salceda number one yan sa National Airport niya sa Bicol

Poe: Tinext nga ako. Sabi ko mayroon tayong phone-in question from Bicol...

Villanueva: Okay. The floor is now open to your questions. Q: Ma'am, I would just like to go back to the emergency powers. So the contracts that you were mentioning and the private sector individuals that you would be inviting to look at these contracts, are these the contracts that will come in once the emergency powers are granted?

Poe: Yes. For example, they planned to build a road somewhere. And they will be invoking this with the emergency powers. The oversight committee, before the government actually enters into that contract, the DOTr will submit to us their proposed contracts with the name of the supplier that they chose or the contract. And that oversight committee composed of the Senate, Congress, and our invited consultants from the private sector will look into that contract to make sure that at one side, and then the government will not be at the losing end of the bargain.

Q: So ma'am, it's pretty much a public and private initiative when it comes to the emergency powers?

Poe: Yes. I'd like stakeholders to be a part of it because Congress has to regain the trust of the people. I think that we've been bruised so much in the past years, starting with the PDAF in 2013. So even if we say that there is congressional oversight, people are skeptic about it. So, to relieve us also of that undue burden, let's get the private sector in. I plan to get from the private sector, not just from one particular interest group. Iba-iba. Let's get also from some activist groups to come in, some academics to come in. Pero ayoko rin nang magulo. Too many cooks will spoil the broth. So, they are there to give their opinion but ultimately, it is the oversight that will decide. But at least it is open. They can go out, they can challenge and say, sinabi namin kay Sen. Poe, ganyan, di naman kami pinakinggan. Pero, if my conscience is clear and I know it's because it's a ridiculous suggestion, I'd say hindi ko pinayagan dahil walang katuturan o dahil 'di yan pwedeng gawin. Kaya talagang open dapat.

Q: Lumalabas po iyong sitwasyon...Parang failure ang MMDA. Wala ho ba kayong plano to revisit yung ahensya na iyon? Ngayon, sa tingin niyo po ba, at this point of time, katulad noong sabi ninyo, yung terminal, pinagmamalaki ni Tolentino noon iyon, ininvite pa kami. Yun pala press release lang o photo release lang. Ano po ang take ninyo sa MMDA?

Poe: Sir, tama po kayo. Sa tingin ko talaga, unang-una, kailangan rebisitahin iyan. Tingnan kung ano ba ang mandato talaga nila, hanggang saan sila. Pero ngayon, at least malinaw na na mapapailalim sila, at least sa traffic, dito sa DOTr. Kasi po kung naaalala ninyo, ang MMDA noon maraming ginawa pero parang sabog-sabog. Noong nagkaroon ng Yolanda, sila ata yung may water filtration system na dinala sa Leyte. Okay lang naman iyon, tumutulong sa kapwa. Pero di ba dapat NDRRMC ang mayroon niyan? Or DSWD? I-endorso sa kanila at kayo ay manatili sa Metro Manila, ang nangyayari ay nagiging staging ng mga tatakbo din. Hindi mo masisisi ang kahit na sino maaaring masabing gawing staging ang ahensya nila. Pero ayusin mo ang trabaho. Not at the expense of the people na you will go beyond your mandate just to impress when it's actually not something that you need to do. Another thing is, you know the MMDA, part of their job is to do the MMFF. So mapapakamot ang ulo mo. Parang...Ha? Paano kayo nangyari diyan. Matagal na iyon. Hindi lang naman kay Tolentino. Noon pa po iyan. Siguro dapat diyan, yung League of Mayors or anuman, sila na. Kasi, kung bakit maibibigay iyan sa MMDA na parang platform pa nila for other things, tuloy nagpagawa ng sinehan sa MMDA. Meron silang mini-theater doon. Tapos nagpapalabas sila ng mga indie films in support of independent films. That's fine. They want to support, but maybe not the MMDA...kasi sinasabi bakit kayo nagpapalabas ng pelikula diyan hindi naman kayo accredited na sinehan. Ang argument naman, it's a government agency we can show anything without having to go through the MTRCB. That's true. But the point is, is that really stretching your mandate?

Villanueva: Diba yung mga bus? Na nagpapalabas?

Poe: Yes sir, we will revisit.

Villanueva: Ah, shake drill?

Poe: Ah, shake drill. Oo. Ang Senado ba nag-shake drill?

Villanueva: Oo nag-shake drill kayo. Metro Manila kayo. Kaya nagtaka ako all-over the nation na siya.

Poe: Mas maganda pa nga siguro. Maraming pwedeng gawin ang school campaign. Pero dapat iyan ay sa NDRRMC. Lakihan natin ang NDRRMC, dapat gawing katulad ng sa Federal Emergency Manager Agency o FEMA. Kasi ngayon naman, nakiki-squatter sa lahat ng...Inter-agency (ang NDRRMC). So parang kawawa naman si Usec. Pama. He's really good. This guy is so credible. But then, he has to rely on the AFP for men, I mean...Granted you need to be able to do that in an emergency situation, the US does that with their National Guard, but they should have direct jurisdiction in times of national calamities, not to be at the mercy of the other secretaries because that's your expertise, how to be able to handle that situation.

On hearings on alleged summary killings

Q: During yung hearing yesterday, sinabi ni Gen. Bato na there were 756 na napatay under the police operation. Sinabi niya na lahat ito...Resisted arrest so in effect cleared na yung mga pulis. Are you convinced doon sa sinabi niyang ito?

Poe: Yun ang nakarating sa kanya. That they resisted arrest. Of course, his role is to defend his men. He will not incriminate his men. Even in the Senate. So, it is our job now to make sure where is your operational report? Kasi bago ka naman gumawa ng isang...Mayroon yang report eh. Kung may lead ka, sinu-sino yung mga tinutunton mo, mayroon bang ganoon? Number two...Mayroong debriefing pagkatapos. Number three, ano yung status ng mga kaso na na-file na ninyo? Out of that 700, or out of the extrajudicial, yung mga vigilante groups, teka lang, wala pa yatang 50 na-file diyan, eh ilang-daan na iyon? So ang ibig-sabihin talaga, hindi natin pwedeng sabihin na nanlaban iyon. Nakita naman natin kahapon may pinakita sa TV, yung binaril, sumusurrender na. Siyempre sasabihin eh hindi niyo naman nakikita, naririnig lang ninyo. Pero there is some truth to it. There has to be something that needs to be uncovered...But again, Gen. Bato cannot incriminate his men until he really knows the situation but I pray, and we have to be able to assert this, that they always adhere to the truth. We will remind him that especially when we have the hard evidence. Ang mahirap din kasi sabihin kay Gen. Bato na you're not telling the truth, kasi we ourselves do not know. Diba? Hindi natin alam kung talagang nanlaban iyon. But just by the odds, alam na nila with this administration na shoot to kill ang order pag ikaw ay nanlaban. Lalaban ka pa ba kung alam mo na ang dami nila?

On appointing a civilian IAS head

Q: The need to have a civilian IAS kasi baka pinagtatakpan lang nila ang ibang tao?

Poe: Alam ninyo po, noon ko pa sinasabi kay Sec. Mar. Papaano naman iimbestigahan ng mas mababang ranggo ang kanyang Chief PNP kung siya ang IAS? Ang nakalagay diyan sa RA 8551 (or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act) Yung implementing rules niyan, dapat ang internal affairs service ang namumuno ay civilian. Sa ibang bansa, talagang hiwalay iyan.

Villanueva: Civillian supremacy.

Poe: Oo kasi, diba, may culture of brotherhood. Unang-una, mahirap na iyon. You don't rat on somebody that you consider as your brother. Parang sa "A Few Good Men." Walang sumbungan. Number two, umaasa ka sa promotion kung alam mong napakalakas nitong PNP Chief at kasama siya sa iniimbestigahan mo, kanino ka magsusumbong? Sa kanya? Uy, kasama ka dito. Nakakaloka naman iyon. So, ang sabi ko, sir dapat huwag natin...Ako, wala akong personal kay Dir. Leuterio, yung head ng IAS. Wala akong personal na complaint sa kanya pero sumusuway tayo sa batas. Ang unang sinabi sa akin ni Gen. dela Rosa, sabi niya, hindi, natatakot lang kami kasi pag naglagay kami ng sibilyan na abogado diyan baka mamaya may mangyari sa kaniya kasi hindi siya pulis, di niya alam ang gagawin niya. So sabi ko, yun ang trabaho ninyo. It's to protect him. To make sure that he's protected and eventually kung kailangang independent body ang magprotect sa kanya, military para sila ang nagproprotekta dito sa nag-iimbestiga sa pulis, bakit hindi? Ang sabi niya, hindi ma'am, ang ginagawa namin ngayon, nililinis muna namin ang organisasyon at saka kami maglalagay ng sibilyan. Yun ang sinabi sa unang hearing. Sa 2nd hearing ko na naitanong, ngayon nga po mas kailangan ng civilian head kasi naglilinis kayo ng organisasyon. Ang mangyayari niyan, pag pinatagal ninyo iyan at pulis pa rin, siyempre maraming pulis na iniimbestigahan, hindi na maiimbestigahan iyan. Pagpasok ng sibilyan hindi na niya alam ang puno't dulo niyan. Ang sabi niya sa akin, yun naman ang gusto ko kay Gen. Bato, ang sabi niya, hindi, kaagad-agad, kung gusto niyo bukas na papalitan namin. Apparently, as of yesterday they already submitted names of suggested civilian heads of the IAS.

Villanueva: To whom?

Poe: To the president. So sana, ilabas nila ang pangalan niya para ngayon palang we can openly discuss. Pangalan na iyan para ngayon pa lang we can openly discuss the credentials and the leanings of those people. Sabi ko nga, the IAS sana instead of it being under the PNP, should be under the Office of the President. Para yun yung sikretong mata ng presidente diyan sa organisasyon ng mga pulis.

Villanueva: Mayroon ditong send-in question, I think this will be the last, related to the FOI. Given the tension in the Spratlys, will the FOI bill in the Senate be technically affected? Sa Consitution natin no need for FOI eh, open naman.

Poe: In the tension in the Spratlys?

Villanueva: Will the FOI bill be technically affected?

Poe: No. The only exception that I can look at which will apply to this particular issue on the Spratlys and any diplomatic issue is the fact that diplomatic discussions that can affect national security is part of the exemption in our FOI. So yung mga backdoor negotiations, they don't need to divulge that if that will jeopardize our standing in the international community and our national security. But here's the thing. There is a time frame for it to be made public then. Like, for example, after so many years, parang sa ibang bansa. Yung Kennedy files, nilabas na. After so many years. At saka mayroon din diyan na the FOI can never be used to cover up a wrongdoing. So kapag mayroon diyan, kunwari, binebenta na pala ang Pilipinas na hindi natin alam, anong diplomatic relations na di pwedeng ilabas? Pag mayroong nagco-commit ng isang treason act na katulad noon, pwede iyon i-discuss kasi, it can never cover-up a wrongdoing. It is always with the interest of the public. FOI can be invoked. Mamasapano. Mayroon kaming executive session. For a time, hindi namin inilabas iyan. But after that, lahat ng mga senador pumirma na, nilabas na rin namin.

Villanueva: There are no more questions? I would like to thank our guest today who took the time to be with us. Thank you. Your closing words.

Poe: Thank you for your time today. I've come to admire you also, because being a woman, and especially now, I think we should really talk about women in government, women in business, women in all other sectors...I look at it as something that we can emulate. A woman who has raised successful children, diba I talked about your children and how you had to work so hard to be able to let them finish. And you know, I feel that. Because even in my work now, parang you do things for your children. So you want a better country for them, sabi ko nga, I'm happy that having been a candidate I did not lose myself or my integrity, I feel is intact in spite of all the bricks they threw at me. Ano nga ang sabi ni Taylor Swift? I could build a castle from all the bricks they threw at me. Di niyo alam yun ano? (laughs) May anak kasi akong 11 years old, so yan yung mga kanta. Wildest Dreams. Yan yung mga ganun. Ginagawa natin ito, I think the Philippines...We should....Our foresight should definitely be there because we tend to look at the now but we should have the Philippines in how many decades, how do we want it to be? So again, thank you very much.

Villanueva: Thank you very much, ma'am. Let's give her a round of applause.

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