Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar

Q: On Cocoy Dayao

Villar: I agree with the chairman na dapat dumating siya. Kasi kung siya ang gumawa niyon, he should be responsible for what he said. He must explain. Ako nga hindi pa masyadong grabe iyong sa akin pero iyong sa iba, grabe naman calling senators names na hindi naman talaga tama. At least, he should have the courage to come here and explain what he has done.

Q: I-subpoena?

Villar: Yes, i-subpoena and then kung ano, ipaaresto para iyong mga tao hindi magsasalita sila for the sake of saying things. Dapat he should be responsible also for what he is saying.

Q: Si Cocoy Dayao binigyan na ng mahabang leeway...

Villar: Ang tagal na, hindi ba? Ang first hearing last year right after it happened. Malayo na nga ang second hearing.

Q: May mga argumento na freedom of expression...

Villar: Hindi naman. Ang freedom has its responsibilities also. Pwede mo bang tawagin na adik ang isang senador na hindi naman totoo? I mean, you should be mild, issues lang tayo hindi iyong personal. Lalo na kung iyong personal naman ay hindi totoo.

Q: Ano ang nakikita ninyo na dapat gawin na batas?

Villar: Siguro iyong mga nago-operate ng Facebook accounts, dapat ilalagay nila ang pangalan ng nagsasalita. Syempre kapag nandoon ang pangalan mo, you should be more responsible. Kung tingin mo hindi ka makikilala, then you tend to say things at hindi ka na nag-iisip kasi hindi ka naman makikilala. Dapat may sense of responsibility din iyong mga nilalagay doon. And tayo, we should use it as a means to report to the people what we are doing or if you are a company, what you are doing also. Kasi ako iyong aking Facebook at website, I use it as a means of reporting to the people not to talk about other people.

Q: Do you think it is possible to come up with a legislative measure?

Villar: Of course, wala namang perfect legislation but we can try.

Q: Sa case ni Cocoy Dayao parang siya ang tumatayong de facto publisher... kapag hindi siya humaharap hindi niya naaako ang accountability ng publisher...

Villar: There is some sort of responsibility. Hindi puwede iyong you can say anything kahit na hindi totoo. At least dapat lumabas ka at take responsibility. Ako, wala akong nakikitang ginagawa natin dito sa mundo na walang responsibility at the same time kaya dapat lahat ng tao ganoon. You have a responsibility for what you are doing.

Q: Sa case ni Asec Uson, dapat daw magkaroon na ng malinaw na patakaran ang PCOO kung saan lang dapat si Asec.

Villar: I think iyong magma-manage dapat makontrol niya rin ang mga tao within na there is some sort of a rule. Wala namang activity na walang rules. Ako I agree with that. Lalo na iyon na ang ginagamit government money. It's not theirs, it's ours.

Q: May times ba na sa tingin ninyo sumosobra din at times?

Villar: Alam mo kasi ako, unless grabeng-grabe, my strategy is kind of reporting positive news and I never comment on other people unless it's an opinion on issues that is being raised. Hindi ko masyadong binabantayan ang ginagawa ng ibang tao kasi hindi ko naman ginagawa iyon unless grabe lang na nakakarating sa akin. Kasi kung lahat naman ng ginagawa nila, baka stressed na stressed ka na by this time.

Q: Ano dapat ang limitations?

Villar: Calling senators names, sobra na iyon. Puwedeng pintasan kami sa stand namin on issues and all that pero iyong mga personal na, sobra na iyon.

Q: Pwede bang ihiwalay ang blog ni Asec. Uson sa trabaho niya sa PCOO?

Villar: Hindi yata. If you accept a position in government, you have to give that up. Ngayon kung ayaw mong igive up iyon, huwag kang mag-accept sa government. Kasi there are rules sa government .

Q: She should refrain from being a blogger?

Villar: Sa akin ha, I don't know for other people, unless and blog mo ay positive. Pero kung ang blog mo is combination, kasi minsan iyong mga private bloggers that's how they make their blogs attractive, naglalagay sila ng something controversial para i-follow ng mga tao at pag-usapan. Okay lang iyon kapag private ka pero kapag nasa government ka na you should follow the rules.

Q: Kapag ikaw government official ka nasa isang side ka, hindi ka rin dapat gumamit ng platform na iyon para banatan mo ang nasa kabila?

Villar: Kasi wala ka nang private, you are government. Mamili ka na lang. I would say na kapag government ka, medyo boring kasi government is to report and try to be neutral in your report. Pero kung sa private ka, you can have your own style. That's why if you accept a position in government, medyo may some sort of restraint na. Mas mabigat ang government kaya mahirap mag-accept ng position sa government lalo na appointed position. At least kami may mandate of the people.

Q: Suportado inyo ang pinayl na kaso ni Sen. Sotto against Cocoy Dayao?

Villar: I think it's his personal right kasi grabe naman ang sinabi sa kanya.

Q: Should BBL be passed first before charter change?

Villar: Oo, mas madali iyon kaysa constitutional change kasi doon it's just passing a simple law. Iyong constitutional change pag-uuspan pa kung anong manner of constitutional change bago pa pumunta doon sa mga provisions that will be changed. Makikita mo kapag nagpapasa ka ng ganyang batas, parang ang general intention mas madali pero kapag pumupunta na sa mga detalye, nagiging kontrobersyal na kasi maraming kontrobersyal na details. But if you don't iron out the details, magkakaproblema naman later on. Iyong BBL mukhang madali sa umpisa kasi lahat naman tayo pare-pareho ang intention to promote peace in Mindanao and promote also the economic development of the people in Mindanao but kapag dinidetalye na, doon na nagkakagulo. Like for example, a province, one of the questions is Lanao de Norte. May anim na bayan na gustong humiwalay. Ano ba iyon, hihiwalay ang Lanao del Norte o sila lang ang hihiwalay at kapag sila ay humiwalay, kanino sila sasama? Those are details na mahirap i-decide. And of course, iyong budget. Syempre magbibigay ng budget coming from the national government, iyon ba ay dapat free hand sila sa budget or we will have some sort of guidelines in using the budget considering that the money came from the national government, not the income from their place. Iba pa iyong income coming from the theplace, iyong block grant. Doon lang naga-argue na, should we issue some sort of regulation on how to use it or complete independence sila doon how to use the money. Iyong mga ganoon, I am sure we can settle that among ourselves. Maganda nga iyong merong discussion para we pass a better law kaysa iyong we will just accept iyong recommendation nila verbatim.

Q: Meron ba kayong nakikitang effect sa operation ng Ombudsman sa suspension ni Dep. Ombudsman Carandang?

Villar: Hindi ako masyadong familiar sa organizational chart ng Office of the Ombudsman but I guess lahat naman ng opisina merong ombudsman, may mga deputies. Usually hind naman iisa deputies, merong iba. I don't know if the Ombudsman is the same but in other departments, katakot-takot ang mga Usec, may Asec. Kapag ganoon na marami naman, I don't think magkakaproblema iyon.

Q: Hindi siya dapat ika-alarm?

Villar: I don't think magsu-suspend sila ng someone na very flimsy ang reason. I don't know, kung ako ang presidente, I will not suspend someone for a flimsy reason. Minsan ino-oversimplify natin. Siguro may alam din sila doon na nangyari. Mas marami silang alam doon kaysa sa atin, i would think na for you to suspend a person, meron namang malaking reason why you are suspending him.