Transcript of ambush interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On Sen. Santiago's letter to Sen. Sotto saying she will veto Sec. Roxas' confirmation.

SP: Why Senator Sotto?

Q: Siya po ang chairman ng Committee on Interior and Local Government.

SP: Natural lang yun na any member of the Commission on Appointment can object and raise Section 20. We do not have to write a letter to do that. I have raised that many times and I have never WRITTEN a letter to Salonga or anybody.

Q: Fair po ba daw yun? Qualified naman daw po si Sec. Roxas kaya lang under the principle of check and balance between the Executive and Legislative..."

SP: You can raise Section 20 without giving any reason.

Q: Pwede bang magkaroon ng efforts overnight para makumbinsi si Senator Miriam?

SP: I don't know. I cannot say otherwise because I am the ex-officio chairman of the Commission.

Q: Ano po ang option para makapag-perform na si Sec. Mar?

SP: The President can give him an ad interim appointment. When we go on recess on September 20, then that appointment has all the earmarks of a permanent appointment until revoked by the Commission on Appointments.

Q: As chairman ng CA, hindi ninyo na po kakausapin si Senator Miriam?

SP: I don't talk to anyone in connection with the confirmation of any member of the Cabinet. I never did. I am a non-voting member unless there is a tie. I am the presiding officer, Ex-Officio by Constitutional mandate.

On small town lottery

Q: Yung plano ni PNoy na ipatigil na yung STL kasi nagiging front nga ang daw ng jueteng pero magke-create ng another numbers game na mas makikinabang daw yung gobyerno?

SP: I will support that because kung gusto nilang patayin yung jueteng, they will have to find a way to do that. The only one who can supply the expertise to do that would be the people who are in the game.

On the Bridge Program

Q: Doon po sa investigation na pinapa-tawag ni Senator Osmeña, pwede po ipatawag si former President Arroyo?

SP: This time the President (Arroyo) has no more presidential immunity but there is an inter-parliamentary courtesy traditionally existing between the two Houses. She is a member of Congress. I don't know, I will leave it to Senator Osmeña to take the necessary action.

Q: Kine-claim po ni former President Arroyo na yung bridge program na yun, hindi daw sa kanyang leadership nag-start?

SP: Nag-umpisa yun 1994 yata. I am not familiar with the details. Ang alam ko lang, yung sinabi ni Serge na yung presyo ay medyo mahal.