Press Release
June 1, 2009

Transcript of interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q: Sir, ano po ang na-achieve natin sa first day ng adjudicatory hearing?

SP: Well, we are receiving the evidence of the complainant and actually verifying doubtful aspects of documentation of the evidence but then we cannot make any conclusion yet. We will continue next Thursday.

Q: Sir, matatapos niyo po ito by Thursday?

SP: I do not know. I do not know whether we'll be finished next Thursday.

Q: Sir, yung ocular inspection niyo?

SP: We will probably do that after the recess.

Q: After the recess?

SP: I do not intend to call a hearing during the recess.

Q: Sir, kailan po magde-decide ng date ng ocular inspection?

SP: We will decide that on Thursday if we will agree.

Q: Senator, a lot of government agencies appear to be in the know about this.

SP: I will have to subpoena them in due course to explain some of the aspects of the evidence presented like why the Bangko Sentral bought the property. Then later on, the property was sold by the Villars. And then, what was the relationship of this acquisition of those properties with the Capitol Bank that I think was in financing business for. We will ask the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) why the original alignment of the C-5 extension from the Southern Luzon Expressway was diverted in spite of the fact that they have already spent Php 1.8 billion to acquire a road right of way. What happened to the land they have acquired? Something like that. And then the verification of the authenticity of the signatures mentioned in some documents.

Q: So by Thursday may isa-subpoena na po na government agencies o wala pa?

SP: We will subpoena depending upon the request of the counsel for the complainant. We will issue the subpoena.

Q: Sir, kung may mapatunanayan sa naging daan, may pananagutan ang DPWH?

SP: Hindi ko muna sasagutin yan. We will not anticipate any conclusion or any decision.

Q: Sir, what actions will be taken doon sa sinabi ng Korte Suprema na mag-submit ng paliwanag?

SP: We are going to submit our comments tomorrow. We will comply with the Supreme Court requirement for a comment.

Q: Sir, ano po yung posibleng nilalaman ng comment ninyo sa Supreme Court?

SP: Hindi ko pa alam. Hindi ko pa nababasa yung comment namin. Rereviewhin ko ngayon pagkatapos nito.

Q: Sir, sino ang magsu-submit noon tomorrow sa Supreme Court?

SP: Ang Senado. I'll probably sign it. I do not know whether I'll be the one to sign the comments.

Q: Yung non-issue po ng TRO indication ba na medyo mahina yung refutation ni Villar?

SP: The Supreme Court did not issue any TRO or any writ of preliminary injuction and I suppose in deference to the separation of power between the judicial department of government and Congress. That is my surmise and instead they required the Senate Committee of the Whole to submit their comments on the petition filed by the Minority members.

Q: Yung CARP extension maa-approve today?

SP: We will work on it. Maglalamay kami ngayong gabi.

Q: Sir, nagpasalamat si Pimentel sa interview dahil tatapusin ninyo yung CARP extension.

SP: Bakit magpapasalamat sa akin? Trabaho namin yon.

Q: So sir, considered na certified as urgent so pwedeng second and third Reading ma-approve na ng Plenary?

SP: Yes.

Q: Sir, welcome ba si former President Ramos sa opposition?

SP: I cannot speak for the opposition. I'm a soldier of the opposition. I'm not a general of the opposition.

Q: Pero sa tingin ninyo lilipat ba sa opposition si Ramos?

SP: I do not know. I do not know what opposition you have in mind because the opposition group is fragmented. Everybody claims to be opposition. So, I do not know which opposition the former President has in mind.

Q: Sir, may bagong survey po ngayon No. 4 na lang si Villar sa Pulse Asia presidential survey. Do you think naka-apekto sa kanya itong investigation sa kanya ng Senate?

SP: I don't know. Let time speak for itself.

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