Transcript of Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On Sen. Koko Pimentel

SP The Senate Electoral Tribunal made the decision. We have no choice. We have to respect that and we welcome him in the Senate. He is entitled to represent the people.

Q Ano po ang napag-usapan ninyo sa meeting kanina?

SP Tungkol sa accommodation niya, tungkol sa kanyang committee. Ang sabi ko, paguusapan namin sa caucus yan sapagkat ang Committee is approved by the Senate in Plenary. I cannot decide it on my own.

Q Kailan po yung caucus ninyo? SP I set it for tomorrow. I hope we will have the time to do it.

Q Ano po yung napag-usapan ninyo ni Koko nung mag-courtesy call siya?

SP Wala naman. Tungkol lang sa accommodation niya at kung gusto niyang sumama sa Majority. Sabi ko, you are welcome to be with the Majority, although I read in the papers that he wants to stay outside of the Majority and the Minority. Pero, more or less, my impression was that he did not make that statement.

Q Did he ask for any advice?

SP Well, I told him "you have to attend all the Committee deliberations, you have to learn fast the system." Madali lang naman if he reviewed the Rules.

Q Kung mag-join siya sa Majority Block, ano po yung pwedeng ibigay sa kanyang Committee chairmanship?

SP Pinag-aaralan ko. Naka-distribute lahat, sabi ko sa kanya. We will have to be fair to him.

Q Yung Public Information na Committee, possible po bang i-give up ni Sen. Honasan?

SP I cannot commit anything. I have to meet the members of the Senate, the Majority, because the Committees were distributed to them and those Committees were already assigned by the Senate to them.

Q What about yung mga iniwan ni Sen. Zubiri na Committee?

SP We have to distribute them because we have pending matters to be disposed of.

Q Manunumpa pa si Sen. Pimentel sa inyo mamaya?

SP Pinadala ko sa Secretariat kanina at saka kay Majority Floor Leader yung notification sa amin ng SET. So I am sure they will do that in the agenda.

Q Mas mataas po ba ang expectation kay Koko Pimentel bilang anak ni Sen. Nene?

SP Wala. He is a personality unto himself.

On the LEDAC meeting

Q Meron po ba kayong irerecommend?

SP Pinadala sa akin kanina yung material pero hindi ko pa nababasa. I'll read it tonight.

On Bishop Oscar Cruz's suggestion to spare the Arroyos from investigation

SP I suppose we have to be more understanding. You cannot bring her here. The stress is very difficult for her. You know, she cannot even move her head. It's so delicate that if she moves her head, it could snap and it could affect her neck.

Q How about placing them sa watch list?

SP Hindi ko alam ang dahilan nila na ilalagay sa watch list. I cannot make a conclusion.

Q Kung kailangan magpagamot sa abroad, dapat pong payagan?

SP Kung kailangan, dapat payagan. It is a matter of life and death.

Q Yung kay FG po?

SP Alam mo, I checked with the medical experts. The guy has a lesion in the heart, that if there is a strong pressure in your blood, it could burst and it could cause instant death. I do not want anybody to die here in the Senate, so I am cautioning my colleagues that if it becomes imperatively necessary for him to appear here, we have to heed the advice of the doctor. We cannot take the chance. Talagang delikado. Thrombosis of the heart yun.