Transcript of Ambush Interview of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III

On the preventive suspension of Sen. JV Ejercito

SP Pimentel: Kasasabi lang sa akin na my office has received a copy. I have to read the copy first, but I believe from my experience in my practice, this is not automatic. It has to be implemented. So, Senator JV should still report to work tomorrow and the subsequent days.

Q: So ibig sabihin sir, kayo ang magde-decide when to implement the suspension?

SPKP: Babasahin ko po muna doon sa order. Hindi ko pa nakikita, I was just informed na we just received a copy. It's not automatic, because ang pagkaka-alam ko, even the Sandiganbayan says that it has to be implemented by the Office of the Senate President, so hindi siya automatic.

Q: Pagbobotohan po ba yun sir?

SPKP: Pag-aaralan po namin kasi ang napag-usapan dito yung mga batas, hindi pa yung procedure sa pagsu-suspend ng kapwa senador.

On why he has not attended the hearing on extrajudicial killings

SPKP: I attended it kanina sa tail-end. Anyway, may future hearings pa naman. Tsaka maraming trabaho ang Senate President, hindi ninyo lang ma-imagine.

Q: Yung nire-raise ni Senator de Lima na baka umabot pa sa ICC?

SPKP: Aralin ko muna yung line of questioning niya tsaka yung points nan a-raise niya. Yung inabutan ko lang kasi, they were already talking about ICC rules, they were talking about the special counsel for the ICC. We have to study that treaty first.