Transcript of nterview with Senator Chiz Escudero on ANC

On being chosen as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum...

Hindi ko rin alam kung paano (napili)... we're just informed of our nominations, we didn't even know, nobody really informed who nominated it, we've just informed of our nominations and later on we're informed we've been chosen.

Did you undergo screening after being nominated?

None because the board of judges is composed of, among others, the president of Reuters, I think Washington Post and New York Times, based on media (inaudible), and they made used perhaps of their correspondents and their linkages with other countries.

How do you feel?

I don't know, I look forward to the meeting of all of these Young Global Leaders in September, it will be held in China, I think the awarding and the meeting will coincide.

What does it mean being recognized as a Young Global Leader?

I honestly don't know, but being a Filipino I feel very honored, as a person I'm humbled by the recognition given, and also given that the other personalities mentioned are beyond my league. Magpapa-picture nga ako sa kanila.

We haven't received via email the reason behind the award given. Business, politics, showbizness, sports (categories).

Why do you think you have been chosen? Sports?

It can't be sports. Business? Not business as well. Showbiz probably...

Who nominated you?

Nobody has nominated. You don't get to apply. They'll send you a message if you're being considered as one of the nominees by the board of judges. (Do you see why?) No. in fact they have a secrecy clause that you're not supposed to announce that you're nominated until the final announcement last March 11.

Do you know senator who among other Filipinos who have made it in the past as Young Global Leaders?

This only started in 2004, and it think this is the first time a Filipino was included, two Filipinos rather, were included in the list and Illac (Diaz, CentroMigrante founder, the other Filipino chosen as a Young Global Leader) and myself were also chosen TOYM in 2005, we were awarded that time.

In September you'll be receiving the award...

Aside from taking pictures (with other winners) it would as well an exchange of thoughts, exchange notes and exchange ideas with people that are roughly our rate... Hindi naman ganoon yung pangarap ko na maging global leader talaga, but to get inputs to be able to use it here in our country and given the opportunity to speak probably is a lesson learn also for others. And I would want to speak in Filipino, bahala sila mamoblema at kumuha na lamang sila ng translator at para may hanapbuhay pa yung (translator).

Hindi pa (inaudible) yung salita natin sa ibang bansa and every time Filipinos are given the chance to speak abroad they would make it a point and prove that he or she knows how to speak English, ke beauty contest man yan, ke United Nations convention palaging nag-e-englis, hindi pa ni minsan sumasayad ang salita natin sa ibang bansa.

It would be in Filipino and perhaps to translate some lines in English if only to emphasize and it would also be nice to hear our language abroad.

By September (2008) you would already have an idea of your political plan...

I doubt that, I doubt that because anyone who's campaigning as early as this, is simply campaigning early, time to campaign should be late 2009, should someone decide to run should campaign late 09 until when campaign period actually will begin in 2010.

On former President Joseph Estrada again running in 2010 elections...

Legally I don't see it, happening or even being possible, unless there is a prior petition emanating from the Supreme Court, the letter of the law, the Constitution in particular, precedent such a candidacy. Secondly without it necessarily benefiting anyone else, there are 85, 90 million Filipinos by this time, I don't think a single person whether it will be him or GMA, or any person confirming na siya lang yung puwede at kayang gumawa ng trabahong yan.

Has anyone asked you to be his/her running mate?

No one in particular, nothing direct from the potential candidate himself or herself. (Hhen you say herself meaning it's senator Loren Legarda?) any potential candidate. (The only lady potential candidate is Sen. Loren Legarda). Nothing definite and no definite answer for one simple reason, any promise given now might not be true anymore years from now, so it's too early to ask and it's also too early to answer.

But you're open to be somebody's vice president?

Again to early too answer and too early for them to ask... Kung pangarap ko yun, pangarap din naman siguro yun ng bawat pulitiko, but actually planning at this time, that you're doing something about it, that's totally a different story.

You're the favorite as running mate... and according to some editorial it might be too early for you to run as president....

I'll spend the whole day arguing with anyone with respect to that issue, not for a particular position, for one simple reason, if I wait until their age I might be exactly like them already and I might as well not run.

On Arturo Brion named as SC justice...

He was nominated by the JBC, he was appointed by the President, it went to the process and procedure, as to whether or not he deserves the seat I think that, I hope I would be able to see that in the next couple of days and he stated already that he won't inhibit in the Neri case although he is a former Cabinet member and he was under the auspices of EO 464 and MC 108, I would want to see how he will be voting on that issue if he indeed will participate. And I hope he will come up with a separate opinion that we can (inaudible) of a newly and the newest SC justice, how he thinks Senate indeed there's basis in its doubts and (the issue) raised by some sectors with respect with his appointment

Of course it's safer to say that he will inhibit himself, but he went out saying he will participate, but not only because he was a former Cabinet member, not only because he was just a newly appointed and the case is already pending, more often than not, some SC justices who are newly appointed do not participate in pending cases anymore because they have to catch up, but given his statement I will respect that and I will wait his vote and his decision on this issue. And I do hope for his sake and for ours sake it would be fair.

The issue on the executive privilege has been finalized during the term of Chief Justice Artemion Panganiban when they answered the problem on EO 464 and it says that executive privilege only deals with military and safety issues... Why again EO 464 would be taken up if then Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban then had already spoken or decided on this matter together of course with the associate justices...

The main issue in that case was the constitutionality of EO 464, using as basis and the stand on the executive privilege, Supreme Court said EO 464 is unconstitutional in so far as the sections are concerned pertaining to executive privilege because as he said it pertains to diplomatic and military secrets, with that decision, Secretary Neri went to the Senate and he was being asked for some questions and invoked executive privilege, not EO 464 but the concept and principle of executive privilege and the Senate disagreed with such invocation, hence Neri went to the Supreme Court and that's why it's pending in so far as the three questions are concerned, the questions are what did she tell you and did she order you to proceed with the contract, and in so far as other questions are concerned, it can, Secretary Neri can be invoked it at a proper time.

It was decided upon but not in a specific case, the doctrine was handed down by the Supreme Court but this is a specific case, the invocation itself of the executive privilege, that's why the lawyer of secretary Neri was hard fought in countering and explaining what was the diplomatic and military aspect or secret side of this particular question and issue. That's why it was asked did this contract go in the DFA, no, did it go to the Department of the National Defense and AFP, no, it did not... To clarify also the compromise agreement did not really emanate from the Supreme Court, the Senate did not turn down the Supreme Court, it's a compromise proposal emanating from the lawyer of Secretary Neri... but it was done under the auspices of the Court.

Let it understand, in so far as the Court is concerned, from the point of view of the Court, they would always want an amicable settlement between the parties... In the absence of an settlement then they would hand down a decision.

It's not the Supreme Court's (compromise agreement), compromise proposal, no, it was a proposal emanating from Secretary Neri's lawyer, perhaps from Secretary Neri himself, done in the presence of the majistrate of the Supreme Court and perhaps pursued by the Supreme Court as an alternative to a dispute.