Press Release
March 3, 2011

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF SENATOR GUINGONA

Q: On Mrs. Ligot.

STLG: She is in the clinic and until she recovers and until she can be certified by the doctor to appear. it seems we cannot force her to appear .

Q: Hindi niyo pa po sasaraduhan itong hearing?

STG: Hindi pa, kasi ang pag-uusapan pa natin ay mga reporma . Ito 'yung mga akusasyon, mga kinuha nila,mga tinago nila, kung may bank account sila. Mga ganoon. Wala pa tayo sa positive. 'Yung mga positive ay kung anu-ano ang mga ginagawang mabuting hakbang ngayon ng AFP. Panay negative ang nakikita ng taumbayan. Hindi nila alam na mayroon din magandang hakbang ang ginagawa ng AFP . Kailangan ipalabas at pag-usapan 'yon. Ofcourse it is not as dramatic as finding out properties hidden in the register of deeds but it's something we have to tackle and that's something that people have to know.

Q: Ano masaasabi ninyo kay General Ligot na panay ang sabi ng right to self incrimination?Kailangan pa ba sila pabalikin o enough na iyon?

STG: With regards to General Ligot, I think we have heard enough to form an opinion na mayroon talaga silang tinatago at umiiwas sila. Pero mukhang si Edgardo Yambao ay hindi pa tapos si Sen. Drilon doon.

Q: Ano tingin mo kay Yambao? Dummy talaga si Yambao?

STG: Ayoko muna gumawa ng conclusion. He is very evasive. Obviously he is hiding something . When Senator Drilon confronted him with several millions of pesos and dollars in bank deposits as reported by the Anti- Money Laundering Council, with specific bank account numbers and then he says he cannot remember or he says it's not in the bank account. Pero ng sinabi ni Senator Drilon na " o sige, 'kung wala 'yan sa bank account na iyan, puwede ba pahintulutan mo kami na tumingin sa bank account?" . Ayaw naman niya. Obviously, umiiwas ka at mayroon kang tinatago. Q: Purpose of the hearing

STG: The purpose of the hearing is plea bargain and military corruption as stated in the speech of Senator Jinggoy.

Q: On the plea bargain. You kept on getting vague answers from the Ombudsman.

STG: The manifestation last hearing was that they make a determination already as to its status. They promised this hearing and obviously , they did not comply . They said that it is under study.

Q: How long is the committee willing to wait for them to study?

STG: I don't think we are willing to wait for them. We will make our own recommendation.

Q: Next hearing invited ba ulit si Mrs. Ligot?

STG: Pag na-certify na ng doctor na puwede siya at okay ang lahat then puwede na natin tawagin pero kung hindi pa ay hindi muna natin pipilitin.

Q: Pero mag-recess na?

STG: Siguro I will study whether we can continue during the break.

Q: If Sandiganbayan have acted on its own [double jeoaprdy]

STG : We still have to find out but I don't really agree with double jeopardy because it has been [said?] that it is null and void, walang bisa, mula sa umpisa. Kung walang bisa mula sa umpisa, walang double jeopardy.

Q: Hindi ka ba disappointed na matagal natin hinintay si Mrs. Ligot tapos we can't get anything from her?

STG: Not really, because I think the evasive answers of Yambao and Mr. Ligot have shown enough that they are hiding something. Sa mga nakikinig at mga nanonood ay klarong klaro iyan sa kanila. Imagine, that is already the official report of AMLC with specific bank account numbers and yet he still cannot remember. That's not believable at all.

Q: Properties ng mga Ligot.

STG : Ang importante dito ay makita natin na kung nagsasabi ng totoo o may tinatago sila.

Q: When is the next hearing?

STG: I won't answer that muna. We'll confer with the members.

Q: Mayroon na ba kayong nakikitang remedial legislation that will come out of this hearing with regards to AFP reform?

STG: We have not yet even started on the AFP reforms . Those are just enumerations of properties found to be hidden under the names of private persons. Wala pang mga specific reforms na pinag-uusapan natin and that's one thing I look forward to, we should look forward to that.

Q: Tax evasion charges.

STG: I understand that most of them are already undergoing tax evasion charges with the Department of Justice.

Q: Pag winithdraw nila ngayon , ibig sabihin na they are admitting na tama si Sen. Enrile na grossly negligent

STG: I agree. They are grossly negligent.

Q: Sabi ni Atty. Chavez ay dapat maglabas ng resolution ang Senate.

STG: But you must remember na ang resolution is just an expression ng sentimiyento ng Senado.

Q: Kailangan ba iyon?

STG: Puwede din.

Q: Sampahan ng tax evasion sila Ligot sabi ni Sen. Drilon.

STG: Halos lahat sila ay may tax evasion, Siguro ang sinasabi ni Senator Drilon ay ang mga bagong properties na lumalabas ngayon. Panibagong kaso.

Q: Ano ibig sabihin ng pag-iwas nila?

STG: Ang ibig sabihin ay mayroon silang tinatago.

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