Press Release
August 8, 2012

Transcript of ambush interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q: Pero sir, ano yung malaking necessity that you had to have this plenary session na masama ang panahon?

SP: Well, we have to attend to pending matters that we have. We should show to the people that inspite of adversities, calamities, we, as leaders, will have to go through to the flood to serve them, di ba.

Legarda: In fact hindi lang inspite of.

SP: Yes. That's why the chairman of the climate change is present.

Legarda: Hindi inspite of di ba? In fact, dapat pa during calamity we are more present.

SP: Korek. This is the time when you need the survival funds.

Legarda: Yes. It is not the time to hide in the comfort of our homes. We must show that we are working senators and (pushing for) the survival funds.

SP: Yes. It's nice to sleep when it's raining but...

Legarda: I did not sleep, I'm monitoring on... Pero wait, 'yung survival fund hindi pa napipirmahan into law.

SP: Ewan ko.

Legarda: Hindi pa, na transmit na sa Malacanang, it should be signed into law and (included) in our GAA, Manong you assured that we have the funding. The 1 billion or the increase in the week of this LPA, not even a typhoon, the 1 billion is kulang. Gawin mong 10 billion survival fund.

SP: Look at what's happening in Marikina.

Legarda: Exactly.

SP: That's a disaster already.

Sotto: Aba! Tabi na natin 'yung 3 billion sa condom, lagay na natin doon.

Legarda: Sige, susundin kita, susundin kita.

SP: And you know, there's a place to relocate these people. In Pinugay, the property of PHILCOMSAT. But, it's ah... I do not know why the government, the PCGG sequestered that property. They should have sequestered the shares of stock of the people that they claim to have committed ill-gotten. That cannot be ill-gotten by the corporation because the corporation, the investment of the government is only 55,000 pesos against the investment of the private sector who were in the minority that made it possible for the satellite facilities to be established. How can 55,000 pesos be ill-gotten by anybody? That was the investment of the government.

Q: Nasaan po yun?

SP: Nasa Pinugay, sa Tanay. That's 700 hectares na pwedeng gamitin para i-relocate yung mga tao na in the danger zone.

Legarda: Oo, tama si Manong. At saka, buti binanggit ni Manong 'yung relocation. Ang daming mga nagtext sa akin na media about kailangan pa ba ng batas sa relocation? Dalawa na ang batas sa forced evacuation. A 1992 law, establishing the national housing, HUDCC 1992. Pangalawa yung ating DRRM law. Both laws allow our LGUs for forced evacuation in danger zones and high risks areas.

SP: Korek.

Legarda: So, all we ask is for strict implementation of these two laws already existing.

SP: And the government already owns about 35% of that, I think even more because the alleged share of President Marcos had already been vested to the government.

Q: So sir, LGUs ba ang to be blamed? Kasi parang alaga daw 'yung mga informal settler na nandoon sa mga danger zones.

SP: Ewan ko. 'Wag na nating pag-usapin 'yung kung sino ang may kasalanan . May problema tayo, we'll find a solution.

Q: Pero di po ba sila 'yung responsible para i-relocate 'yung mga nasa danger zones? So, You're suggesting 'yung property ng PHILCOMSAT?

SP: Oo, there's an ongoing discussion between PHILCOMSAT and the Vice President for that purpose pero the road block is it's under sequestration. For what reason, how can you sequester the property of PHILCOMSAT which is not the one that got it illegally? If there is an ill-gotten wealth, it is the stockholders who are affected that ought to have been sequestered.

Q: Payag bang gawin ni President Aquino na...

SP: Ewan ko. Madali lang 'yun eh, tanggalin lang ng PCGG 'yung sequestration. Tapos. Eh, ayaw nila. Q: Can President Aquino order the PCGG?

SP: It's an Executive office.

Q: Sir, 'yung lugar more than enough para i-accommodate 'yung mga...

SP: Aba, malaki 'yun. It's almost a city. 750 hectares.

Legarda: Saan 'yun manong?

SP: That's the property of Philcomsat. That is where you have the Earth Station of the Satellite.

Legarda: Baka naman low lying area.

SP: No. No.No. That's one of the high areas of the countries.

Legarda: Eh di, sayang nakatiwangwang.

SP: Tanay na'yun eh.

Legarda: Sayang nakatiwangwang. Pwedeng gawing relocation site na maganda.

SP: Oo. Nakatiwangwang. Ilan lang hectares 'yung occupied by this people who are now affected in Marikina Valley.

Legarda: Sa gilid lang 'yung ng mga estero at kanal.

SP: Kaya nga. 100 hectares?

Legarda: Less.

SP: 200? Oh, that's more than enough.

Legarda: At saka kung tingnan nyo 'yung mga unnecessary deaths dito sa LPA na ito, are people living in danger zones and high risks areas na hindi kailangan mamatay kung sila ay forcibly nilikas at kung pinaliwanag sa kanila ang mga maaaring mangyari. Maybe there is no clear warning and maybe the Geohazard Maps are not disseminated up to the barangay. In fact dapat hanggang sitio level itong hazard maps ay ipa-communicate.

SP: Actually this, what is happening here is just like what happened, almost in the same period of the year in 1972.

Legarda: Yoling. Q: What has happened then?

SP: My God,Lingayen and Manila Bay almost met.

Legarda: Yoling ba 'yun?

SP: No. nakalimutan kung anong bagyo 'yun. Yoling is 1969.

Q: Sir, at least may bagyo 'nun ngayon wala.

Legarda: Wala pang bagyo 'to.

SP: Talagang dagat yung Central Luzon hanggang sa Bataan.

Legarda: Ang Doppler Radar, wala pa nung Ondoy kaya may dahilan na ma-Ondoy tayo. Ngayon may Doppler na, ang Doppler nasa ulap palang nasusukat na 'yung rainfall. Eh bakit hindi natin na-predict na ganito 'yung millimeter ng rainfall na mahuhulog, dapat ilikas na. May Doppler na tayo eh.

SP: Alam mo ang problema dito, maraming mga water arteries that were closed.

Legarda: Sarado dahil meron ng structures.

SP: The movement of water is not fast enough because sinarhan ng mga structure, ginawan nila ng mga building building kung anuano.

Sotto: Sa Laguna de Bay ganoon.

Legarda: Either illegal fish pen o illegal structures. So, we are suffering our own fate because of our own falling. There is no one to blame but none.

SP: If you are going to enlarge the reclamation area in the Manila Bay, you reduce the area that will receive the water volume that comes from the high lands. Di ba?

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