Transcript of Joint Interview of SP Sotto and Sen. Panfilo Lacson

On DICT Sec. Gregorio Honasan and the oversight committee

Sen. Panfilo Lacson: Under Rule 10, Section 14 nung Rules of the Senate, nakalagay naman doon na whenever necessary, a special committee pwedeng icreate, eh nacreate na ito nung 17th Congress so we are just reconstituting it. Not solely for the purpose of looking into some insinuations involving former Senator Honasan, pero icocover naman ito lahat ng intelligence and confidential funds ng buong bureaucracy.

Q: Yung trigger was because of what happened to Sen. Honasan?

PL: No, we filed it even before.

Q: Kailan kayo magdedecide kung ipapatawag na si Sec. Honasan?

PL: Hindi, ipapa-adopt muna namin yung resolution kasi resolution yun na kailangan iadopt sa floor ng buong body.

Q: After maadopt?

PL: Once maadopt, magcoconstitute kami ng membership, four from the majority, two from the minority. Senate President and magdedesignate.

Q: Ano ang magiging treatment kay Sec. Honasan since best friend ninyo siya?

SP Sotto: We will take everything as laid out. This is in aid of legislation so kung may inquiry, kung meron dapat baguhin sa sistema ng funding or whatever, not only in the DICT but the other agencies especially when it involves intelligence funds and confidential funds, then the committee or the oversight committee, which in this case will be handled by the National Defense chairman, Sen. Lacson, we'll take everything on face value. Kung ano yung iprisenta, kung ano yung reklamo, kung ano yung makita, yun ang pag-uusapan. It will always be public hearing, it will not be closed-door or executive session para walang masabi.

Q: (Unclear) confident you are dealing with confidential...

PL: May mga matters siguro na pwedeng itake-up in an executive session, pero generally, dapat open as the Senate President mentioned.

Q: Will it happen at the soonest possible time?

PL: The moment maadopt yung resolution, ang kasunod noon, icoconstitute yung oversight committee and then pwedeng magmeeting yung committee members to decide when to schedule, if at all, kung merong necessity.

Q: Does it affect your impression of Sec. Honasan?

PL: No, hindi. Kasi alam ninyo, nag-usap kami, very brief lang ang usapan namin. Ano, these are insinuations. Wala namang prinipresent na concrete na allegation to back the allegation of Usec. Rio. In fact, they are close friends, kinakapatid pa niya yan and all. Professor namin sa PMA nung graduating na kami. And ito, medyo irrelevant ito sa issue at hand, pero I just happened to know na hindi naman nagprisinta si Sen. Honasan na maging Secretary ng DICT. In fact, it was his lobby for the appointment as a permanent Secretary kasi OIC noon si Undersecretary, or OIC Rio. Nilolobby niya, pinakikiusap niya sa Malacañang pwedeng maging permanent, eh yung paglolobby niya that brought him there na maging Secretary. I won't delve anymore into the details pero ganoon ang nangyari. So, siguro, napagusapan namin ni Senate President, si Sen. Honasan, I am sure he is more than willing to air his side kasi these are insinuations and gusto rin niya makita o malaman ano ba talaga yung puno't-dulo nuong mga allegations na ibinabato sa kanya.

Q: Posible nga na maging subject siya ng hearing dito sa Senado?

PL: Alam niya yun.

Q: And what did he say?

PL: Mas maganda, sabi niya.

SP Sotto: As a matter of fact, this will be a good chance for the DICT to be able to explain their side, not only Sen. Honasan because the insinuation, if I take it at face value, is not particularly centering on Sen. Honasan. Even in the letter, the Senator was never mentioned. Pero, again, this will give DICT a chance to explain everything.

Q: Process wise, sa budget, may mali ba doon sa pagtransfer sa confidential fund?

PL: Wala. Pag sinabing confidential funds, look, DICT, tama rin in a way si Usec. Rio ano, pero remember, yung DICT, sila yung nasa frontline doon sa pagdetermine ng cyber-attacks and as per Sec. Honasan, when we talked briefly about this, sabi niya pinapasa niya sa mga agencies yung nadedetect nilang possible cyber-attack. Kailangan din niya ng confidential fund. Kaya nga mas magandang ma-crystalize, maclarify.

Q: Pwedeng hindi lang naintindihan ni Rio?

PL: Hindi natin alam, kasi kung ano yung alam ninyo, yun din ang alam namin. Nababasa sa diyaryo.

Q: When do you think possible maconstitute yung committee?

SP Sotto: If we pass the resolution on Monday, that week we can constitute the membership.

Q: So possible na next week na yung hearing?

SP Sotto: Well, hindi rin siguro dahil sa three-day rule. Baka the week after. At the earliest, the week after.

On the novel coronavirus.

Q: Kailangan na ba ng pag-audit ng mga Chinese tourists and other tourists na nagpupunta dito ngayon sa Pilipinas?

SP Sotto: Nakalock down, naka ban na di ba?

Q: May mga Chinese and other nationalities na nasa condos, mga hotels na nandito lang temporarily.

PL: Ako tingin ko, let's leave it to the Executive Department, kasi trabaho nila ito. Kahapon, we conducted a hearing in aid of legislation of course, and mukhang may mga wake-up call namang nangyari doon na I think Sec. Duque is now addressing, and the inter-agency created for the purpose.

Q: Do you think the PNP can actually contribute sa contact tracing?

PL: Even during the time of former President Aquino, namobilize yung PNP noong SARS ba yun or yung MERS? Trabaho naman ng PNP yun.

SP Sotto: Ang pagkakaalam ko yung Department of Health, yung epidemiologist nila, isa lang ang tao doon per region. Paano maghahanap yun, di ba? Dapat yun talagang tinap na kaagad ang PNP, NBI.

Q: Nakapag-usap na po kayo ni Sen. Honasan?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa.

Q: But knowing Sen. Honasan, sa tingin ninyo hindi naman siya maiinvolve in any irregularity?

SP Sotto: Sa pagkakakilala ko sa kanya, hindi yun maiinvolve sa anomalya.

Q: In that case do you think he can clearly explain himself?

PL: If it comes to that, hayaan natin siya at saka hayaan natin si Usec. Rio. We cannot answer for Sec. Honasan or for Sec. Rio.

SP Sotto: My answer is just based on track record niya.

Q: (Unclear) to investigate the other offices?

PL: All-encompassing naman yung special committee. Lahat ng CIFs pwede talagang tingnan yun.

Q: Binanggit kanina ni Sen. Migz yung LGUs, sila rin may sariling confidential funds...

SP Sotto: Correct.

Q: How about yung confidential fund ng Office of the President?

SP Sotto: Covered din yun.

PL: Yes, pero tingnan rin natin yung inter-departmental courtesy, kasi Executive Department, Legislative Department or branch, tingnan din natin yun. Kung wala namang nakitang anomalya, walang report anomalies, bakit naman tayo, nagwi-witch-hunt ka naman siguro noon?

SP Sotto: I was about to say that. Kung walang complaint, kung walang pagbabasehan, bakit naman namin bubulatlatin yun?