Press Release
November 13, 2014

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF SEN. SERGE OSMEÑA

On the Iloilo Convention Center

Q: Napatunayan ba ang allegations of overprice at may nakita po ba kayong katiwalian?

Serge: Hindi ko pa naiintindihan iyon. Kaya tinanong ko si Secretary Singson, gumawa ka nga ng mas realistic na comparison with a commercial building para malaman namin, kaming mga layman, kung paano ang mag-compare ng apples and orange, apples and banana.

Q: Punto ba ang credibility ni Mejorada? He relied on Wikipedia...

Serge: No, no, no, there's nothing wrong with Wikipedia. I read something from Wikipedia and tinanong ko sa kanila (other resource persons), wala naman silang reklamo. In other words, it is subject to challenge, but it is not authoritative the way enclopedias are. Tatanggapin ng korte iyon.

Q: Paano 'yung sinabi niya na siya mismo wala siyang ebidensiya ng overpricing at katiwalian?

Serge: I don't see any evidence, because we don't know how to compare. Hindi pa sila nagpapagawa ng quantity survey.

Q: Kailangan pang ituloy itong investigation?

Serge: Yes, there will be a second hearing. Kasi wala pa si former Congressmen Buboy Syjuco. Nandito siya kanina, nakita ko siya but he is not scheduled.

Q: Pwede bang sabihin na hilaw ang allegations of corruption?

Serge: It's still unproven, there's still no specific proven of overpricing.

Q: How would you compare the conduct of the senators here, in this hearing, with the hearings of the Makati parking building?

Serge: We're friendly. (Laughs) Iyong isa hindi friendly ?

Q: Itong hearing na ito, you can ask questions directly to the Senate President...

Serge: In fairness to Senate President Drilon, I admire him for coming down and subjecting himself to questions. But of course, the senators did not like to question him, so he was the one rebutting what the senators were saying. It almost became a debate between Senator Drilon and Senator Binay. However, he volunteered to come and join the process.

Q: He was somewhat pikon kanina?

Serge: Yes, he was pikon.

Q: Was there proof of overprice?

Serge: There is no proof yet of overprice. I am not saying there will be no proof. What I am saying is that it must be proven, sapagkat iyong comparison on a per square meter basis of construction cost is like comparing a banana with a papaya. Tinanong ko si Sec. Singson, 'teach us how to compare', aside from actually undertaking a quantity survey, which is going to be very expensive. So, you can see there in the estimation how many tons of cement would be used, how many tons of steel they will use, and then we can go from there.

Q: Sinasabi niyo po ba na maigi pa si Senate President Drilon nag-attend ng hearing kaya lang pikon?

Serge: He became pikon only in one or two instances. I can understand that, because he is a lawyer. A lawyer will always object when immaterial or impertinent ang questioning. But since this is not a court of law, we don't have to adhere to the rules of court strictly.

Q: Pwede bang hindi matandaan kung magkano ang nilagay niya doon at kung galing sa DAP or PDAF?

Serge: Wala pa tayo dun. Sabi niya, he doesn't know, he doesn't care, he doesn't remember. Sabi niya irrelevant iyon.

Q: SI Congressman Syjuco po, will you allow him to discuss other issues?

Serge: No. I already asked the staff of the Blue Ribbon, can you please vet all of these resource persons. Kasi hindi naman puwede na tatanggap tayo ng resource persons na hindi natin alam kung ano ang sasabihin nila. And then they will say all of the crazy things. Hindi naman puwede iyon. Unless he shows documentation, we're not going to allow, we should not allow Senate hearings to be forums for invectives kasi masakit ang loob mo sa ginawa ni Drilon sa iyo, kaya ngayon babanatan mo sa newspapers. Where in the newspapers you can say what you want, you can always be sued for libel.

Q: Hihingan muna siya ng affidavit?

Serge: Yes. We want anybody to come forth with an affidavit and with documentary proof, to at least establish some basis that what they are saying is true. But I will not, whoever you are, I will not accept you and say, 'come talk before the committee.' Teka muna, we have to protect also other people here.

Q: 'Yung pagharap ni SP Drilon, kailangan tularan ni VP Binay?

Serge: I think he (Drilon) might have been sending a signal to Vice President Binay that he also should turn up and defend himself from the allegations thrown at him by his detractors.

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