Press Release
October 13, 2011

Transcript of press conference : TG Guingona at the Kapihan ng Senado

Q: Iggy can be found criminally liable for muddling the case. Obstruction of justice ba yun sir? Puwede ba siya ipa-ethics sa house?

STG: We do definitely find criminal liability with Iggy Arroyo. We just leave it up to the ombudsman to determine the specific law that Iggy violated.

Q: Puwede siyang ipa-ethics sa house?

STG: Yes, puwede. Anybody can file a case.

Q: Conduct unbecoming ba iyon?

STG: I'd rather not comment on that . Sa house you mean? Some misconduct maybe but definitely what's important is yes, somebody can file a case in the House of Representative in the Ethics Committee.

Q: STG: It's hard to answer that because the prosecution and first the appreciation of the evidence and filing of charges is not in the hands of the Blue Ribbon, it will be in the hands of the Ombudsman.

Q: Gaano kayo ka-confident na malakas ang inyong ebidensiyang hawak?

STG: Very confident . Imagine we do have documentary and testimonial evidence and in fact nobody disputed that the choppers were secondhand.Walang nagsabi na "hindi, brand new talaga iyan". Noong nilabas na second hand yan, lahat tahimik at nagsang-ayon na second-hand talaga.

Q: Do you trust the new Ombudsman?

STG: We trust the new Ombudsman definitely, 200 percent.

Q: Why are you filing the charges as individuals? Why not wait for the Ombudsman to act on the recommendation of the Blue Ribbon?

STG: We can do that , we can just wait, but we'd rather take a proactive role and take it to the next step. We're saying that we've done our part and we're going to continue doing our part because the next step remember, this is in aid of legislation. We will do our legislation, we will propose the pieces of legislation that we said we would, but at the same time sagutin na natin yung tanong na pagkatapos ng report ano ang gagawin? Gagawin naming ay ibibigay na naming sa Ombudsman at sasabihin naming : "Madame Ombudsman ito po ang nakita naming, kayo na po ang bahala."

Q: Did all of the members signed the committee report? Nobody oppose?

STG: Nobody opposed. Yung ibang hindi nakapirma, I have more than enough for the majority but nobody opposed. Those who have not signed just asked for more time to read the report because hinahabol namin ung session break. Gusto ko din idagdag yung pati sa mga signatures, kahit na hindi pa mga nakapirma ay puwede na pumirma during the break. Ang pumirma ay ako, Osmena, Lacson, Pimentel, Drilon, Pangilinan, Trilanes, Recto, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada. Yesterday, I received a word that Allan Cayetano will sign in the coming days.

Q: Hindi pa ba enough yung pag file ng charges ng PNP?

STG: We don't want to comment on the PNP charges. We believed, ours is more extensive and more in depth and in fact, the PNP filed their charges on the basis of the records of the Blue Ribbon.

Q: Parang nagiging shortcut ?

STG: Hindi naman shortcut ito, you must remember that this is the first time that a committee report is referred to the Ombudsman. This is not an ordinary procedure. This is thinking out of the box. This is being proactive. We do have a majority and it is an official committee report. It is committee report number 74. We would like to also reiterate that whatever is contained in the committee report is not binding upon the ombudsman naman eh. It is persuasive at best.

Q: You're filing the complaint as an individual senators pero nakakatatak pa din sa Ombudsman na Senators kayo. Hindi ba magsend ng message na you're pressuring Ombudsman to immediately act on this case.

STG: This is not a pressure. This is saying that we believe ito ung nakikita namin at pinapaalam naming sa inyo at kayo na ang bahala. naniniwala kami na itong mga taong ito ay lumabag sa batas at dahil doon sapagkat kayo ang in charge sa prosecution ng government officials ay kayo na ang bahala.We are turning over what we believe our findings are to you.

Q: Airtight ba itong kaso na ito?

STG: Naniniwala ako na yes, airtight itong kasong ito at naniniwala ako na makakatikim sila na rehas na bakal kahit secondhand yung bakal.

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