Transcript of Ambush Interview of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III

On the Cabinet members who attended yesterday's hearing who were told to walk out if they were mistreated.

SP Pimentel: The President has a Constitutional basis. It is in our Constitution that the rights of the witnesses and persons appearing before legislative committees must be respected. Very clear yan.

Q: Will you advice some committee chairmen na iobserve yun?

SP: Kailangan pa ba iadvice yun? I think we have been observing this. Sometimes nagtaasan ang boses pero hindi naman ibig sabihin nun na binabastos mo just because lumakas yung volume ng boses. In my opinion, no Senator needs reminding because everyone has been observing that. Wala naman akong natanggap na reklamo na may super bastos kami na chairman dito na lahat binabastos, wala naman.

Q: Baka takot lang magreklamo?

SP: Wala pa ako natatanggap pero kung takot kasi magreklamo, it's a non-issue kung ganun.

On the President asserting the Philippine's sovereign rights over the Philippine Rise and yet joking about China making the country into one of its provinces.

SP: Kelan ninyo narinig yung joke? Narinig ko na yun two months ago, sa isang personal na gathering namin, so siguro nakita niya na bumenta yung joke, siguro nung first na crinack niya, kaya crinack niya ulit. Well, our President loves to crack jokes. Pabayaan na po natin yun. Ang importante is we be vigilant to make sure that no steps are being taken to make us a province of China.