Press Release
May 13, 2014

TRANSCRIPT OF AMBUSH INTERVIEW OF SEN. SERGE OSMEÑA

On the EDCA

Serge: I asked them to explain certain provisions why some were so vague and why this was not brought to the Senate for ratification. We also requested that Secretary Volt Gazmin of the Department of Defense, who signed the treaty on behalf of the Republic of the Philippines, along with Secretary Albert del Rosario attend the next hearing to explain the Philippine position.

Q: 'Yung sa telecommunications na binanggit niyo po kanina?

Serge: Dun sa telecommunications, tinanong ko bakit nagbigay tayo ng guarantee na magagamit nila 'yung frequencies dito sa Pilipinas. Normally that is a franchise that is granted by Congress. Ang sagot naman nila, ang gagamitin nila 'yung frequencies na in-assign sa Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Q: Were you satisfied with the answers and statements given during the hearing? Serge: Satisfied? NO. I am not satisfied with the explanations. Ang sabi ko naman, pabor naman ako dito sa military alliances with the United States because the United States has maintained stability in our region for about 70 years. They have been very benign about it, they have not been bullies, they don't force their way into any situation in favor of a country. We're very comfortable with that, and I believe the Philippines should also contribute its share in ensuring peace and stability in our region.

Q: Do you think the agreement is one-sided or not?

Serge: Not necessarily one sided, but there are some items there that I would have wanted clarified, like for example toxic and hazardous wastes. 'Yung iniwanan nilang lasong basura doon sa Clark at sa Subic, hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin kini-clean up. At napakahina din ng provision dito na kung maglalagay sila ng facility, tulad ng refueling and bunkering, naku, doon nga nanggangaling ang lasong basura eh. So there's no real and tight provision on clean-up and remediation.

Q: 'Yung provision na sinasabi kailangan 'unintentional' 'yung oil spill? Serge: 'Yun din, we asked them to explain that.

On Napoles list

Q: Kayo 'yung nag-suggest na i-subpoena 'yung Napoles list and the Blue Ribbon has issued a subpoena, but this is only for the list with Secretary De Lima...

Serge: I think that's the one that was attested and signed, too, by Napoles. That's the valid one, and not anybody's list that is not sworn to.

Q: Tama 'yung decision na 'yun lang list ni De Lima ang i-subpoena?

Serge: OO. But I understand that former Sen. Panfilo Lacson is also willing to hand-over the list in his possession. We can use that to compare.

Q: Hiningi lang ang listahan pero walang naka-set na hearing. What are you going to do about that?

Serge: We can decide that later the moment that we get the list. You see the list alone will not stand because Napoles is still around and she's still alive. So we will ask her to attest to what she said there and to clarify.

Q: Ang dami pong lumalabas na listahan, hindi po ba unfair 'yun sa mga tao na ang names ay nababanggit?

Serge: Well, we cannot prevent that. Even if I want to invent a list, I can write one down now. But you know, evidence is evidence. And there's a definition on what evidence is. First, you must have personal knowledge. It cannot be a list coming from Tom, Dick or Harry. It has to come from Napoles herself because she has personal knowledge. Certain instances there can be verified by people like Benhur Luy, Ruby Tuason. But personal knowledge ang kailangan po.

Q: You will not agree to hold a hearing on the list unless Jenny Napoles is invited to verify the list?

Serge: What will you hold a hearing on? When you have to hold a hearing, you have to invite the person who gave the list. How can you hold a hearing on the list without inviting the person who made and gave the list?

Q: Hindi kayo makukuntento kung si Secretary De Lima lang?

Serge: No. Because she doesn't have personal knowledge. She has to be the one who provided the information about the list and obviously has personal knowledge.

Q: When you recognize the Napoles list, hindi po ba parang binibigyan niyo na din siya ng credibility samantalang dati sinasabi corrupt siya, sinungaling siya?

Serge: Well, it all depends. Because sometimes, you know, not everybody tells a lie the whole time, sometimes they tell the truth. Now, they will have to validate that. Kapag sinabi niya na, 'yes, I gave this and that senator or to that congressman,' and she evidence, kung meron siyang dokumento...

Q: Last night nagbigay na ng ilang pangalan si Sec. Lacson na nandun daw sa listahan...

Serge: I understand something like 21 senators past and present...

Q: Nandun daw po si Butch Abad, si Gringo, Alan Cayetano...

Serge: Okay I know. But you're asking me a question about a list that I have never seen.

Q: Paano magiging factor ito, since may request for document na tapos bigla lumabas ang mga pangalan from another source, pero unsigned ang list?

Serge: An unsigned list does not carry weight. As I told you, the basis for any written list is that the person who made that written list had personal knowledge about that written list. It's not personal knowledge kung sasabihin mo lang, 'I heard that..' Iba yun, that will not be accepted as evidence. That's chismis. He cannot even be asked to testify because all he can say is that 'I received this thumb drive, alleging that so and so.' So we will ask him, who gave you the thumb drive, and if he says Jimmy Napoles, then we will call Jimmy Napoles to validate the information, if indeed he had personal knowledge of it. If Jimmy Napoles says, 'hindi, nakuha ko lang ito kay Jenny', then we will have to call Jenny Napoles.

Q: Hindi ba unfair sa mga senators na lumabas na 'yung mga pangalan kahit na hindi pa naman official 'yung list?

Serge: Yes, it could be. If they're not really involved, I think it's not fair that you mention a name that you don't know is really involved in the Napoles transactions. Hindi fair iyon.

Q: Ililimit na lang ba ng Blue Ribbon 'yung hearing sa Napoles list?

Serge: You mean will we disregard Sen. Lacson's list? I don't know. I'd like to take a look at it and see whether it bears much resemblance, little resemblance or no resemblance to the list of Napoles. But definitely, if we call Napoles here, we will ask her and show her also the Lacson list, and tell her that there are some names here that are not in the other list. Which is which? We'll let her clarify that.

Q: Kung mag-testify nga si Napoles and confirm the list, paano bibigyan ng credibility iyon given her character...

Serge: It all depends, you know. Even the accountant of Al Capone was given credibility when he testified. It depends really. You might be the biggest liar but if you saw a murder and you come forward and you say "I saw this murder" and you can validate, yes it happened at this time, that was the color of the car, that was the color of the dress...then you have credibility. The biggest liars in the world can have credibility just by telling the truth that can be validated.

Q: May moral authority pa daw ba na mag-attend ng hearing 'yung mga nababanggit na names na members ng Blue Ribbon committee?

Serge: That's a question mark. But you know, we just have to fall back on the constitutional precept that a man is considered innocent until proven guilty. But yes, there is a cloud.

Q: Magugulat ba kayo kung talagang nasa listahan si Secretary Abad?

Serge: Magugulat ba ako? You're asking me to make a character judgment on Secretary Abad. I think Secretary Abad is an honest man. I understand that this is something that happened when he was still a congressman and I don't know what happened then. But remember he was already a member of the Hyatt 10 from 2005...

Q: Yung Napoles list, kung mapasakamay ng Blue Ribbon committee, do you need to validate it first before making it public?

Serge: That's a good question. That's something that has to be decided on by the Blue Ribbon committee. As far as I am concerned, what I would rather do, rather than wave that list out there in public, I would want to have it disclosed at the same time that we call Ms. Napoles here, para sabay. Because she can right away validate it and say, 'No this name is not there...'

Q: Anong gusto niyo sir, open or executive session?

Serge: Open. Hindi naman national security iyan eh.

Q:May suggestion na before the hearing i-publicize na daw muna ang list?

Serge: There's a lot of suggestions. You can't imagine just how many hundreds of suggestions we get. Everybody is entitled to make a suggestion.

Q: Sabay na lang sa hearing?

Serge: In my judgment, leave less room for speculating on innocent people. Halimbawa, may Mr. XYZ dun, tapos pagdating ni Napoles sabihin niya, 'No, mali 'yan, his name is not there. I don't know how it got there.' Eh di kawawa naman si XYZ.

Q: Ang daming suggestions pero wala naman caucus hindi ba?

Serge: Well...at least, the purpose of the caucus was to get the consensus of the members of the Blue Ribbon committee to issue a subpoena. But since that was already decided on by our chairman, Sen. Guingona, that's okay. The intent to hold a caucus was achieved anyway.

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