Ambush Interview | Impeachment, Benham Rise, Delima and Energy Efficiency | 2nd Floor Senate

[start recording]

Q: Reaction to the impeachment?

Sen Win: Well puno't dulo naman ay ebidensya eh, dapat patunayan ito sa kongreso, hindi fiscal case. What happens here yung kongreso titignan yung mga ebidensya, titgnan yung complaint tapos titignan kung may basis yung complaint. Puno't dulo ebidensya talaga.

Q: you think may numbers?

Sen Win: I think we have to go back to the basics no, iba yung mga pinapakita na ebidensya, I have to go back to that because at the 3end its really about the evidences. I think that will dictate how the proceeding will go.

Q: what do you think of the timing sir? Knowing meron tayong mga destabilizations?

Sen Win: para sakin, starting this year tuloy tuloy itong mga ganitong issues against the administration. I'm not very sure if this is a concerted plot o isang malaking activity lang to, I'm not very sure.

Q: Are you surprised sir?

Sen Win: I'm very surprised, in fact nasa hearing ako, I was just scanning through my twitter, kaya mejo nagulat ako. I haven't read the complaint yet but being a congressman before, pag nag convene ang kongreso, titignan if may substantive evidence. Kung walang ebidensya, walang mangyayari diyan. So yan talaga ang magiging basehan.

Q: process?

Sen Win: Ang process diyan, to make it simple, may complaint, titgnan ng Justice Committee, pag-uusapan, then rereccomend sa plenary kung aabot sa senado. Sa committee mismo titgnan itong mga ebidensya na to.

Q: take on the Benham Rise?

Sen Win: Sa economic affairs committee nag hear kami no, to create a Benham Rise development Authority, dapat magtayo ng authority to explore and see the potential of Benham Rise dahil ngayon kausap ko mga tiga UP and NEMRIA, wala talagang nakaalam kung ano ang laman ng Benham Rise. 13 million hectares to, kasing laki ng isla ng Luzon ang Benham Rise pero wala nakakaalam kung ano ang laman nito. It's about time really to explore this area.

Q: What do you think of the agreement between President Duterte and the Chinese authorities?

Sen Win: In agreement, it's not very clear kung ano ang agreement. For exploration, for example U.P, they tie with foreign NGO's like OCEANA which is an international committee to explore the biodiversity aspects of the country. So may mga NGO's na nagtuturo satin, Americans, Europeans, para mag explore at pag-aaralan ang karagatan natin. Regarding the permission with the Chinese group, it's not very clear kung ano yung pwede nilang gawin within that area.

Q: so do you support sir na magsagawa ng senate investigation?

Sen Win: Yes, I support, tignan natin yung permission na binigay, is it for environmental, biodiversity, or even energy aspects? Marami kasing potential ang Benham Rise, di lang energy but also biodiversity and even food. Marami tayong mga kapwa Pilipino na nangigisda doon dahil mayaman ang Benham Rise in terms of aqua culture and energy potential.

Q: What is the objective of the Benham Authority?

Sen Win: it will have multiple objectives, number 1, it will explore the potential of Benham Rise in terms of energy and even biodiversity. Number 2, it will protect it, nakita namin yung video na pinakita ng OCEANA na napakayaman ng Benham Rise sa minerals and wildlife. Number 3, is to assert the sovereignty in Benham Rise. I think if we explore and protect that area, we can exercise our rights as a nation within the area.

Q: In the absence of that authority can the President--

Sen Win: Yes, of course the different agencies can already move, through exploring and protecting the area. DND, DENR and even UP, meron silang activities doon to study it.

Q: Can we work with another foreign government to study the area, or dapat--

Sen Win: Yes, definitely in our hearing, nasabi rin ng UP kulang tayo sa kagamitan. If you see the Jack Cousteau exploration, meron silang mga ROV's, underwater robots na nag eexplore ng areas. Wala tayong ganun eh, wala tayong ship or the equipment. So we can tie-up, we can partner with NGO's and other countries to help us survey the area. Not limited to energy but also to biodiversity and protection.

Q: you think it's okay to trust China, considering na merong territorial dispute?

Sen Win: I think what's important here is the details of the possible partnership. I think we should not limit our partnership with one specific country. Europe or US, I think we should open ourselves to other countries, like Japan, Australia and even China. Kung klaro yung gagawin natin doon.

Q: Another topic lang sir, some members of the European Parliament are calling for the release of Senator De Lima in the establishment of a UN independent investigation?

Sen Win: I think our court is already hearing the case, in fact may hearing na sa lower court in Muntinlupa and also in the Supreme Court. They should respect our judicial system and process. I think pag dating sa due process umaandar na yan.

Q: From this hearing what do we hope to achieve? Part of this is the cost--

Sen Win: Tinitignan kasi natin kulang yung kuryente kaya dapat mag patayo tayo ng planta, pero di natin tinitignan ang pagtitipid. So this bill will institutionalize conservation, so ibig sabihin yung pagtitipid magiging practice na yan ng mga LGU's mga negosyante at tayong lahat.

Q: (inaudible)

Sen Win: May mga advertising na sa pagtitipid, but not practiced. so ngayon may mga penalties na and incentives utilizing kung di ka magtitipid, and may mechanism na and people to inspect kung nagtitipid ka talaga o hindi.

Q: All government agencies and even households?

Sen Win: All government agencies and all households. Hanggang household level to kasi for example if you purchase a toaster or rice cooker, meron na doon kung gaano kalakas ang konsumo ng kuryente at gano matitipid natin, dahil itong bill na ito may kasama nang labeling para malaman natin kung ang appliances na bibilhin natin ay magastos sa kuryente o hindi.

Sen Win: Eh kung meron na tayong mga research ships, office and authority then I don't think they will exert their influence--

Q: the President cannot make yung mga ganyan agreements?

Sen Win: he has to go through the Authority--

Q: but in the absence of the authority?

Sen Win: Well technically he's the President, so he can really instruct--

Q: pero nagulat yung iba--

Sen Win: Wala kasing detalye, so we have to look into the details.

Q: So limited lang siya sa Benham Rise?

Sen Win: Limited lang po siya sa Benham Rise--

Q: Sinasabi ni Associate Justice Carpio di daw atin ang Benham Rise?

Sen Win: it's already declared by the UN Commission of the limits of the Seas that part na part nay an ng Philippine Sovereign, extended continental shelf siya. So may mga differecnes ang mga extended continental shelfs and yung natural territory natin, pero that;s our right, it means kung may mahanap na oil and gas doon or fishes, karapaptan natin yun.

Q: Pero sabi ng China, hindi naman sainyo yan e?

Sen Win: No, I read their statement, mejo malabo pa sinabi nila, so I don't agree with that.

Q: Ano ba talaga yung potential?

Sen Win: to be honest about it, wala pang study, walang exploration, walang pumupunta, let's say part ng extended shelf natin, anything that will contribute to the country weather it's food, oil and gas. Anything positive naman we should exploit that includes deep sea mineral.

Q: Nakita niyo na ba yung studies ng US?

Sen Win: masyadong raw, pumunta dito yung UP and US, di pa talaga nila alam. They only had a preliminary data, food is and biodiversity are some of the aspects. Also, deep sea minerals, cobalt pero wala pang drilling.

Q: wala pang drilling pero sa mapping?

Sen Win: meron, table survey.

Q: kelan yung authority if ever?

Sen Win: two weeks from now, we will have a TWG.

Q: will the BRDA that establish the UN --

Sen Win: Yes, that will establish it. The point here is to do initial activities to show everyone that we're maximizing this resource for our country. Kausap ko yung ibang Senators, they all agree to establish it na to make it easier come budgeting.

Q: so the BRDA will authorize possible survey ships etc. but in the absence of it pwede sa executive level?

Sen Win: yes in the absence of it pwede, but madami kang kakausapin like DENR, LGU and even the President being the Chief Executive.

Q: So BRDA isa na lang?

Sen Win: yes, consolidated--

Q: Regarding the agreements?

Sen Win: one of the mandate of the bill is to monitor the area, maglalagay ng office doon eh. Ngayon kasi wala eh.

Q: So how will you establish the authority, can you stop the Chinese ships?

Sen Win: whatever the agreement may be, if it will be in a form of treaty, daanan rin naman dito eh--

Q: but the ships were there?

Sen Win: We don't know why they were there. If they were exploring or dumaan lang. pag dumaan kasi pwede eh. same with the West Philippine Sea, right to passage.

Q: Pero the President allowed daw? Surveillance?

Sen Win: surveillance of what? It's still not clear eh.

Q: with this Authority can it stop the agreement with China?

Sen Win: first, we have to establish the agreement with China, and what they want to do in the area. Exploration definitely hindi pwede yun, that's our territory and sole right of the Philippines.

[end of recording]