Transcript of Senator Santiago's interview

On the reported shortage in the country's oil supply

That is what Sec. Reyes predicted, so in effect he is helping make true what he has warned us against. Why is he lawyering for the oil firms? Why doesn't he say, for example, "Once they do that cut off the supply we will do this or that under the law"? He was already warning us about this long ahead of its time and without devoting his energies to preparations should the event take place. In effect, he is just making a self-realizing prediction.

The big three sisters are trying to pressure the Philippine president to do as they wish. This is big business versus the government. In this case, they are playing a game of luck. They are saying "Ok, you don't want to lift the oil price freeze. Then we are going to show you that as energy secretary Reyes has predicted that there will be short supply of oil and all other commodities will then become extremely expensive." This is a question of how intricate and brave our president can be in standing up against these three oil companies. Makisama naman sila. Payag naman ang administrasyon na short-term lamang ito at hindi naman sinabi na panghabang-panahon o pangmatagalan ito. Sana namili na lang ang administrasyon ng mga probinsyang napinsala at doon tayo mag-oil price freeze. Pero kung ganitong they want to play muscular politics, then let's accommodate them.

How can we resolve the issue?

Take over the oil companies. That is provided for by our Constitution. Meron naman tayong genuine calamity or emergency. That is the power of our Philippine president given to her by the Constitution no less, not by Congress. There is a specific provision in the Constitution in cases of emergency or public calamities, the government can take over the management of utility firms.

Our problem--I agree with Senate President Enrile--is that we have no oil company of our own which belongs to the government. We already had one, but we made the decision to sell it. Magkano kaya ang kickback nila doon? Sinabi namin noon na mas corrupt yun dahil we'll be at the mercy of commercial companies. It is supposed to be a stabilizing tool of the government in case oil companies try to apply the freeze on us, then we shall counter by subsidizing the oil needs of our country. They can sell oil even at a loss. But it was sold. That is the main cause of the situation today.

On Sec. Puno saying that her allegations of corruption in the road users' tax is baseless

I am not going to wage a word war with him in the media because he will be serving his own entertainment needs. He has many entertainment needs, and some of them take place nocturnally. I will not accommodate him. The Senate voted; so, ang Senate dapat ang kanyang kausapin. Hindi ko naman pinuwersa ang mga senador dito. At kung talagang wala akong basehan, sinasabi niya na mas marunong pa siya sa 23 na senador ng Pilipinas. Magsenador muna siya. Sagutin niya ang Ombudsman, dun na siya mananagot. Ginagawa niyang personal. You know, in Speech 101 in college, we are taught that when we debate we debate only on the issues. Do not go into personalities because that is considered below the belt. Kung wala ka na talagang rason, mamemersonal ka. Chair ako ng economic relations committee, merong COA report na pinagbabasehan natin. Wala naman silang sinasabi tungkol sa COA report kundi ako lang nang ako. Obsessive-compulsive itong magkapatid na ito. Huwag niyo akong isali sa mga nocturnal activities ninyo. Hindi ko hilig iyon.

Kung patuloy silang mamersonal, idi-divulge niyo ba ang pangalan ng mga babae nila?

Yes. I-sige pa nila iyan, talagang aawitan ko sila. This is P16.5 billion. Of course it has entertainment value, pero on the side lang iyon. Ang gusto talaga nating malaman ay kung saan napunta ang pera at kung puwede pa nating bawiin iyon. Pinagpapaliwanag sila ng COA, ayaw nilang pansinin. Ngayon, nasa Senado na. Nakita niyo kahapon na there was no objection to the motion to approve the committee report. It is the Senate that he should be complaining to. He should stop howling at me.