Press Release
January 18, 2017

Transcript of ambush interview with Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III

Q: On any changes to the Senate majority bloc?

SPPimentel: Wala, hindi ko narinig iyan, nakausap ko nga si Senator JV Ejercito, medyo nagkamali lang daw siya sa sinabi niya. Si Senator Richard Gordon, hindi ko pa nabasa ang statement niya. But the point is, one member of the majority is not the majority.

Q: Pero yung pagside ng seven senators with Senator Trillanes' committee during Monday?

SP: Naintindihan ko iyon, yung pagboto na for example, for changing the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Justice, and then changing or voting for the consideration of the referral, naiintinidhan ko po iyon. Pwede po kami maghati-hati doon because that's really political. 'Yun yung political.

Pero huwag kami dapat maghati-hati sa substance ng aming common legislative agenda of the majority. Kapag doon kami nagkahati-hati, it is time to rethink why we are together. Pero yung mga tactical, na "Who shall lead this investigation?" this is part of politics, and pina-pabayaan ko po iyon, and I understand if kung magkahati-hati or hindi kami united doon.

Pero kunyare, part ng common majority legislative agenda is to make our taxation system more progressive, and there is a measure which is progressive, huwag kami maghati-hati doon, because we agreed that we will make it progressive.

But as to, "Who shall lead this committee," that's political in nature, so I can accept some division even within the majority. So don't worry, the majority is intact, as far as the substance is concerned. Thank you.

News Latest News Feed