Transcript of Ambush Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q Sir, what will happen po in today's session?

SP Siguro today, wala. We need 13 senators to approve anything, or at least 12. If there'll be no quorum, we'll suspend the session until Friday, June 4. Then we adjourn sine die.

Q Mag valedictory speech pa po ba 'yung mga ga-graduate na mga senators?

SP Siguro. We will give them the right to speak and say goodbye, with the normal ritual here in the Senate to close the 14th Congress sa June 30.

Q Papaano 'yun, sir, back to square one lahat 'yung mga bills na hindi naaprubahan?

SP Yes.

Q Pati ba 'yung committee report, sir?

SP 'Yung committee report, that's a pending matter because the Senate continues, and the party involved is still a senator. Bahala na 'yung majority senators after that to dispose of it. I have filed it.

Q Sir, useless na ba 'yung committee report ng ZTE considering na nagpalabas na ng resolution ang Ombudsman, hindi na rin po ba approve 'yun dito sa Senate?

SP Wala na 'yun, unless they want to craft an amendment to the Anti- Graft Law in aid of legislation. 'Yung Blue Ribbon aspect... Hinusgahan na ng Ombudsman. Wala ng mag prosecute noon unless the next administration will reopen the whole thing. Then it will not foreclose.

Q Sabi ni Senator Joker Arroyo iwasan daw 'yung mga long debates dun sa canvassing.

SP I agree with him. But I'm not ready towards using a gag rule. But we must appeal to them to be reasonable in their answers and shorten their points, para matapos tayo because we don't have the luxury of time.

Q Pero kaya naman, sir, na ma-meet 'yung June 15 deadline?

SP Yes. Palagay ko, kaya.

Q Satisfied ba kayo 'dun sa pacing ng canvassing sa House?

SP I'm satisfied with the pace. It's more than what I expected. Now we've started canvassing the Absentee Voting CoCs. This reduces our work. We are dealing now with 147 CoCs. Once we go through the process, we'll compare the documents. If there is no erasure, no alteration, they're complete, they are in the form authorized by law, authorized by the COMELEC, they are properly executed, thumb-marked, signed, and if we compare it with the electronic copy ay walang diperensya, ano ang gagawin namin? We have to count them unless somebody can come and say 'that's the wrong CoC. Here is the correct CoC'. Then we will entertain them and check if that the is real, original, and of the same thing.

Q Sir, may mga kumakausap na po ba sa inyo on the issue of Senate Presidency?

SP Wala. I never discuss this thing with anybody. Bahala na 'yung mga may gusto. Mag usap- usap sila at magtawaran sila.

Q Sir, paano po ba 'yung sa canvassing, side by side n'yo po bang iku-compare 'yung electronic copy at saka 'yung manually delivered CoC?

SP I do not know the procedure yet but the Constitution requires the Senate President to open the Certificates of Canvass in the presence of the Senate and the House of Representatives that were delegated into a Committee approved by the joint session. So, it is the joint session that will physically open the Certificates of Canvass coming from the provinces and cities and canvassing districts. Ngayon kung may duda, we will have to go to the electronically- transmitted CoC. Now, it depends upon the consensus of the canvassing committee if they want the reverse, if they want the electronically-transmitted CoC to compare with the manually- delivered CoC. Pareho lang 'yun.

Q Pero, sir, 'di ba dapat ang pagbabasehan ay 'yung electronically- transmitted CoCs considering na automated naman 'yung election?

SP Oo, ayon sa batas. Pero ako naman, ang pinagbabatayan ko ay ang Constitution. 'Yung ginawa ang Constitution ay wala pang automation. Ang sinabi lang ay 'open the CoCs'. Ano 'yung i- open na CoCs? Ang sinabi ng R.A. 7166, it has to be executed, signed & thumb- marked. 'Yun bang electronically- transmitted CoC ay may thumb mark. If maipapakita n'yo sa akin na may thumb mark, 'yun ang gagawin natin.

ON THE OPENING OF ELECTRONICALLY-TRANSMITTED COCS

Q: Sir, what about if your colleagues in the House will insist on opening the electronically-transmitted...

SP: Well, I redound by the vote, by the decision of the majority. But there must be no effort by anyone, and I am appealing, that no effort must be done to delay. Of course, we have to accommodate everybody but I would like to beg their indulgence that we must not delay the proceedings. And if I notice that there is an effort to delay, then I have to exercise my duty as a presiding officer of the Senate, and the Speaker also will do the same thing in the case of the House.

Q: So far wala pa naman kayong nakita...

SP: Wala naman. It's a fair discussion of the issues. It's better that we clarify all of these issues so that walang magsasasabi na nire-railroad 'yung canvassing. Baka may diperensya gusto nilang pagtakpan 'yung diperensya.

ON NOYNOY'S CHOICE TO LIVE OUTSIDE MALACANANG, HIS SMOKING HABIT AND HIS CHOICE OF CABINET MEMBERS

Q: Sir, Ano 'yung reaction nila kasi si Noynoy doesn't want to live in Malacanang?

SP: Well, that is his choice. Probably he does not want to stay in that very big establishment all alone or surrounded by security.

Q: Nasa condo daw niya mas prefer? Security wise?

SP: Nasa kanya yun. We cannot decide for him what is more secure for him. He, himself, will decide that kasi buhay niya 'yung natataya doon. Katawan niya natataya doon. Freedom niya natataya doon.

Q: But can he perform his job kung nandun siya?

SP: Oo. Why not? He can go to the Palace and work there but he can decide to sleep in his own home. Why not? I guess if I were in his place, I will also choose to stay at home with my family and then go to the Palace just like what I am doing now, coming to the Senate to do my work.

Q: Hindi ba 'yung, sir, mas magastos sa gobyerno kung mag pro-provide ng security at gasoline?

SP: Well, he is the President of the country, bakit naman natin pagiisipan 'yung gastos sa gasoline? Ang problema lang doon ay mabubulabog lang yung kayle dahil araw-araw 'yung nadadaan. He has to use different routes as a security procedure. Maybe he can use a helicopter. He can have a helipad.

Q: Sir, kailangan pa ba siya kausapin ng mga neighbors niya kasi mayroon yata mga iba nagrereklamo kung doon siya sa Times Street?

SP: Eh bakit naman? The fact that he is President does not mean that he has lost his freedom. My golly. They should welcome that they have a President living in their area.

Q: What about the reappointment? Mga recycled former cabinet, especially the Hyatt 10?

SP: I will not interfere with the judgment of a new President. You know, that is his prerogative. If he thinks that those are the people that can work with him and that would help him who are we to say otherwise? It is his responsibility. It is his choice.

Q: Sir, kasi mayroon mga nanawagan for him to quit smoking?

SP: Alam mo, hindi ko pakikialaman yung mga personal habits ng tao. Kung gusto niya uminom ng wine, kung gusto niya ng brandy, ng whisky, that is his prerogative. Why deny him? If he wants to smoke, as long as he does not affect others, fine. I used to smoke a lot.

Q: Pero sabi ni Sec. Esperanza Cabral delicado daw 'yung sa security, na bawal manigarilyo sa government building, na kailangan about 10 meters away?

SP: Bawal mag smoke sa government building? Mayroon kami smoking room dito sa Senado. Baka hindi alam ni Sec. Cabral that we have a room there with an exhaust, for smoking senators.

Q: Pero hindi ba dapat concerned si Noynoy sa health niya as President?

SP: I'm sure as a human being, not necessarily as a President, he is also concerned about it. But kung gusto niyang uminom ng alak, gusto niyang mag sigarilyo, kanya kanyang decision yan. Wala ba sa inyo nag iismoke? Nobody?

ON CAVASSING

Q: ....

SP: Ginagamit nila 'yung e-commerce. That is an economic transaction. The person transacting a business deal has a right, is obliged to sign, so that he can commit, he is committed and he is bound. So 'yun requirement ng electronic signature and that is the procedure. There must be a certifier and that's why they issue a certificate. But this is a public document and the way I see, it all that must be ensured is the integrity and reliability of that document.

Q: Sir, 'yung mga question sa Certificates of Canvass, your rules say na set aside muna, then you go on canvassing and then you go back...

SP: After the Election Returns (ERs). You cannot open the ballot boxes.

Q: After the canvassing na?

SP: Yes. Because the PCOS in effect represents the BEI or its there for the BEI-operated...

Q: It's supposed to be digitally-signed by the BEI itself di, ba?

SP: And according to Melo, it was signed by the chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors. But if you read the law, ang sinasabi sa amin 'yung mga COCs lang ang titingnan namin if they are authentic and if they are duly executed, meaning they are signed and thumb marked and they are in accordance with the form. No erasures. No alterations. They are complete in every respect.

Q: And they should jive with the manually-prepared and the electronically-set.

SP: Yes, yes. That is correct.

Q: And if they do not...

SP: Then there is a discrepancy.

Q: How far do you go back?

SP: Up to the ERs.

Q: Pero sir, paano 'yung systema? I-open n'yo 'yung envelop? Kailangan kasama 'yung print out?

SP: I will allow any opening of the electronically-transmitted, counterpart of the manually-delivered. Kung wala mag-momotion.

Q: Sir, ine-expect niyo ba mamaya na parang tv na lang? Monitor kasi hi-tech supposedly pero tally board pa rin ginagamit?

SP: Manually-prepared CoCs yun. Hindi electronic yun.

Q: Pero sir ibig ko sabihin, 'yung tally board sa Session Hall. Hindi ba dapat malaking tv na lang tapos mayroon computerize ba pagka input ng score?

SP: Magkakaroon kami ng session. Pag-uusapan naming yun para maliwanang na. Wala ng maraming discussion pa.

Q: Sir, ang ibig ko sabihin, yun tally board na sinusulatan ng pentel pen.

SP: Oo, nakikita ko yun.

Q: Sir, bakit hindi malaking malaking tv ?

SP: Puwede rin 'yun. Madali yun. Yung ang server mag a-add.

Q: Kasi, sir, parang primitive pa rin. Thank you Sir.