Press Release
August 10, 2020

Transcript of Zoom Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III

Q: On PhilHealth

Q: What do you think about the medical leave ni Ge. Morales?

SP Sotto: Mahirap magsalita pag may sakit ang isang tao, pero kapag ikaw ay high level government official, at maraming taong umaasa sa iyo, sa trabaho mo, pagka may sakit ka, hindi ka naman dapat namin pintasan pagka may sakit ka, pero baka hindi mo magampanan yung trabaho mo ng maayos dahil sa sakit mo. So katulad nito, una sabi hindi raw aattend physically ng hearing, baka daw Zoom na. Ngayon nagleave, hindi ko alam ang ibig sabihin, ano ang extent ng leave. Yun ba ay hindi na siya aattend pati Zoom? O ika nga ay leave totally, hindi na siya Aattend.

Q: Wala pong proper communication with your office kung ano ang balak niyang gawin tomorrow, whether Zoom or hindi na at all?

SP Sotto: As of today, ang sinasabi ng guestlist, sa agenda, nakarating sa committee of the whole, is si Gen. Morales will attend virtually. So I do not know the extent of the leave na sinsasabi, kung leave sa trabaho or pati sa hearing ay on leave din at rekomendado ng doctor.

Q: Do you think na tama yung decision niya na irelinquish muna yung post niya and allow somebody else to run PhilHealth?

SP Sotto: Tama yun considering na ganoon pala ang physical situation niya. Kaya lang, ako naman, ako ay hindi alam kung (unclear) doon sa narinig ko na pinipintasan, na nakarating daw sa media yung kanyang health status dahil doon sa pinadala sa committee of the whole na information or medical certification. Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, if you are a government official, you hold a public office, you are no longer private. There is no privacy, everything is public about you and your life, even your family. Ganoon talaga kung minsan, kaya minsan sinasabi natin, leave my family out of this, ako lang, oo nga, pero yun, pwede nating sabihing private, pero ikaw as a government official, there is nothing private about you anymore. Ganoon yun, di ba? Kaya nga may kasabihan that if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Q: You are pertaining to what he said na parang hindi nirespeto yung privacy niya at nilabas pa na may sakit siya?

SP Sotto: Oo. Maganda ba yun na you are holding a very important public office, and then tinatago mo yung health mo? Okay ba yun? That is the question that is (unclear) to be answered.

Q: Sakaling hindi siya umattend sa hearing, will the Senate compel him? Do you have the authority to compel him kahit na may sakit siya?

SP Sotto: Meron, pwede ring hindi out of concern, pero it is his own lookout. I will be able to tell you whether we should compel him to attend or not after the hearing tomorrow. After the hearing tomorrow, it will be his own lookout. There will be other issues that will be brought up, there will be new evidence that will be unearthed, there will be other testimonies from other resource persons. It is your own lookout if you are not able to respond or to answer or to react.

Q: Walang kawalan po?

SP Sotto: Kawalan niya yun kung hindi siya makakasagot at lahat ng maaring hindi umattend na pinatawag namin, it is your lookout na hindi ka makikinabang doon sa hearing at makapag eksplika para sa sarili mo. Remember, he was asking for an executive session pero sabi niya and I asked him why, ang sabi niya is for him to be able to explain himself. If you are going to explain yourself, why do you have to d it privately or an executive session? If you are going to explain yourself, explain it to the public and to us who represent the public, di ba? But if you are going to tell us that you want an executive session because you want to name names, and you want to divulge very serious or very important issues, or very compelling issues regarding the corruption in the PhilHealth, then by all means, anytime you want, we will give you an executive session.

Q: Alam ng mga senador na may sakit siya? Nainform ba kayo as early as February na may sakit siya at nag che-chemo na siya?

SP Sotto: Hindi, wala. We only received the medical certificate sent t the Senate through Viber to one of the staff of the committee of the whole two days ago.

Q: Tingin ninyo hindi nashortchange ang public sa ganito kasi sabi ninyo nga, may sakit siya, tinago. Kasi yung speculation or perception na possible na baka nalulusutan siya ng mga tao niya during his down time, kaya possible na nagkakaganito yung mga programs?

SP Sotto: I think you used the correct term, shortchanged. The public is being shortchanged when you have public officials who cannot perform their work because of one reason or another and most especially if he has a prevailing health, very poor health condition.

Q: And two of them are sick. Ano ang dapat gawin at this point sa PhilHealth kung saan may problem pag dating sa 100 percent ng attention ng mga ranking officials?

SP Sotto: Kailangan pag nagrevamp ang Presidente, kailangan lock, stock, and barrel. Lahat ng nasa ibabaw na nagpapatakbo, lahat ng merong whiff of knowledge of the corruption, di ba si Presidente mismo ang nagsabi, sabi niya just a whiff of corruption I will (unclear), parang ganoon, I will fire you. So kung magrerevamp siya dito ngayon, huwag katulad nung nakaraang revamp. Tinanggal lang yung puno, yung nasa taas, pero naiwan yung mga galamay na nagpipiyesta.

Q: Tingin ninyo nalulusutan din si Morales during this period na hindi siya talaga physically and mentally capable all the time to oversee the operation of PhilHealth?

SP Sotto: I can't say yes, I cannot say no. I'd rather leave it to how we will assess the committee report after we get everything kasi I do not want to sound like I am sounding out or (unclear) for an excuse, but I do not want to dismiss him, hindi naman pwede. Kasi nakikita natin yan depende sa resulta na kalalabasan nung mga sinasabi nung mga kasama at nung mga galamay at nung mga opisyales ng PhilHealth.

Q: Yung ilalabas na committee report ng Senate committee of the whole will be as powerful as the Blue Ribbon committee report na kailangan talaga aksyunan ng Ombudsman?

SP Sotto: Of course, it is as powerful as any committee report, most especially a committee report of the Blue Ribbon because what we will be doing here, and lest the people forget, and the people involved, before they forget, the investigation, inquiry, in aid of legislation, bottom line, what we want to do is to be able to plug the loopholes in the PhilHealth law so that these anomalies that have been happening will no longer happen and therefore we will amend the PhilHealth law definitely after the results of the inquiry. Now, it also includes, because it is the committee of the whole, it has that power, we will also recommend to the Ombudsman, to the Department of Justice, on what we think should be done to charge people who are involved in any corruption or any graft that may be unearthed during the inquiry.

Q: This early how many individuals are you looking at?

SP Sotto: I dare not say muna any number but one thing I can tell you is that the PACC who will be present tomorrow, has recommended the filing of charges against 36 individuals in PhilHealth. We will listen to them, we will ask for the evidence and the reason why they are recommending these names.

Q: The Senate committee of the whole will possibly adopt it?

SP Sotto: Yes.

Q: Pakiconfirm, three more witnesses? New witnesses will corroborate the testimony of Keith and Cabading?

SP Sotto: I am not sure if we could call them witnesses but I think definitely one witness that is coming out tomorrow. The two others baka resource persons lang (unclear) witnesses.

Q: Atty. Keith is asking for security and both he and Cabading are asking for immunity, iaadopt po ba ito?

SP Sotto: The issue of parliamentary immunity, the prevailing constitutional effect on any of this is that in Congress, particularly in the Senate in this case, anything that is said and used by the senators or the Senate itself has parliamentary immunity. So he is automatically given a parliamentary immunity without us saying so. Yun ang intindi ko doon sa pagkakabigay sa senador or sa Senado ng parliamentary immunity. As a matter of fact, the parliamentary immunity in the constitution the way I understand it is to the Senate itself. Yun yon. Now, time and again, even in Congress di ba during the time that there was an investigation on Leila de Lima or some other individuals, the Congress, through the Majority Leader's motion, usually announce (unclear) parliamentary immunity. Ang ibig lang sabihin noon is para magamit laban sa kanya ang mga napagusapan doon sa inquiry. So automatically ang tingin ko sa Senado meron noon. Ngayon, what we can do for the sake of these witnesses or whistleblowers, we can recommend that they be included in the witness protection program right away through the DOJ. And there are many benefits that you can derive for being include in the witness protection program. Yun ang pwede naming (unclear) sa kanya.

Q: Are we going to see more anomalous transactions entered into by PhilHealth officials?

SP Sotto: I heard recently that the Majority Leader, Sen. Migz Zubiri has unearthed something that involves again an anomaly in the PhilHealth in Mindanao. I am sure he will bring it up tomorrow.

Q: Ibig ninyong sabihin si Atty. Keith, makocover na siya nung immunity automatically?

SP Sotto: Yes, anything that has been used in the inquiry or investigation, usually is covered with parliamentary immunity already, ganoon yun.

Q: Automatic na siya?

SP Sotto: Automatic na siya without us saying so kaya nga dapat malakas ang loob ng mga witnesses na magsabi doon. (Unclear) it does not give him immunity if he is lying. Pag perjury ang charge at proven perjury, then you shed off the parliamentary immunity. Parliamentary immunity automatically is given to things discussed and talked about in parliament that are true

Q: Apparently kaya nag apply si Att. Keith is that PhilHealth officials threatened him with a libel case. What do you think of that?

SP Sotto: Unsolicited advice ang hinihingi mo sa akin or reaction ko on that matter. I will say that be careful when you file a case of libel because it might be proven to be true. Nakuha mo? Hindi napapagusapan, may sinabing ganoon, sumagot ka, okay. Ngayon, pinilit mo ngayon, titirahin mo ng libel yung testigo, mag ingat ka dahil baka lumabas na totoo lahat ng sinabi nung testigo. Yari ka ngayon.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Of course. Yun ang mabigat sa basta ka nagfafile ng libel. Baka mapatunayang totoo. Mag file ka kung (unclear) siguradong totoo pero oras na mabigat ang ebidensiya, yari ka pa. It is like committing suicide.

Q: Regarding the medical conditions of Morales and De Jesus, do you think that they should have been more forthright with the Senate?

SP Sotto: Correct. It is unfair to the government and unfair to the people. Ang tagal ninyong nagtatrabaho diyan, may sakit pala kayo? Yun bang mga sakit ninyo can allow you to perform your duties well, 100 percent? Dapat (unclear) kaya lang siguro ayaw nilang sabihin kasi nga they want to remain in office.

Q: Yung labor union sa PhilHealth are asking the President to appoint a caretaker. Do you think that there should be one?

SP Sotto: I do, I agree. As a matter of fact, kung nasa Japan tayo, lahat nung mga opisyales na may alegasyon nag resign na out of delikadeza and then they go out and prove that it is not true by not hanging on to the office even when you are sick.

Q: Bakit tingin ninyo kailangan ng caretaker?

SP Sotto: Syempre para maayos ang takbo pa rin, (unclear) pa rin ng maayos. Hopefully ang ilalagay na caretaker ay matalim ang mga mata at masilip yung mga kamalian at anomalya.

Q: Considering their health condition, do you think that they should resign?

SP Sotto: As I said earlier, oo. Okay, let's forget that. Out of delikadeza, if you are sick, you cannot perform your job or your work, you either take a leave if your recovery is possible, or if it not going to be possible in a certain span of time, it is best to resign.

Q: Sabi ng doctor ni Morales, take a leave, but he himself said that he feels well and feeling niya kaya niya.

SP Sotto: Then he will be attending through Zoom siguro tomorrow.

Q: Sabi nya nga po aattend siya through Zoom. How will that affect the hearing kung Zoom lang po siya?

SP Sotto: Okay lang yun kasi ang importante naumpisahan na, nandoon na yung mga issues na dapat pagusapan and then there will be other resource persons who will be physically present ad then yung iba namang virtually present, may additional na bagong testigo, okay lang yun, just in case the important thing is we were able to start the inquiry already. If things just carry on the way it did like last Tuesday, I will be ready to terminate the hearing tomorrow afternoon, afterwards and prepare a committee report (unclear) pushing for results whatever the committee of the whole will agree on.

Q: Considering what you heard in the first hearing, is there a need now to remove the top officials of PhilHealth?

SP Sotto: Yes, I heard that the President will have a very important briefing, talk to the media this afternoon or this evening. I expect him to say that, I expect him to relieve some people.

Q: Sino ang dapat irelieve?

SP Sotto: Lahat ng mga nainvolve sa anomalya. Lahat ng merong whiff of corruption na nabanggit. Whiff lang, hindi smoke.

Q: Morales, execom, board of directors?

SP Sotto: Yes. If you noticed, some of the members of the board have already resigned. Siguro hindi nila matake yung mga nakikita nila or they don't want to be involved in the corruption.

Q: Morales maintains that he has nothing to hide. What do you think?

SP Sotto: Madaling sabihin yun pero tingnan natin, (unclear) conclude right away, I am just basing my� I could not agree with what he is saying because of the statements na binabanggit niya sa hearing. Hindi ba kayo naguguluhan sa mga statements niya sa hearing? Na iba sinabi, mamaya iba na naman, at saka yung mga sagot na hindi ko alam? Hindi ka kumilos, nakita mo ng overpriced, hindi ka kumilos? Hindi ka nagtaka? Yung mga ganoon. And then you say something to a media personality, and then you will say something else in another forum? How can I agree with what he said? Tingnan na lang natin. Hintayin natin kung ano ang kalalabasan niya.

Q: Can you give us a background on what the new witness and resource persons will discuss tomorrow?

SP Sotto: I am sorry pero according to Sen. Lacson, mabigat yung mga bibitawan nito at mabigat ang mga ebidensiya nito, but he did not disclose to me what.

Q: Pero pareho silang PhilHealth official?

SP Sotto: Former.

Q: Yun po yung witness. Yung dalawang resource persons?

SP Sotto: Hindi lang ata (unclear). COA will be there, DICT will be there, there is one or two board members that will be there, so hindi lang two or three. Chairman ng GCG, (unclear), meron din, and then Office of the General Counsel, PACC, Greco Belgica, yun ang mga additional, and then the executive assistant who was not able to attend last time.

Q: Nagconfirm na po si Laborte?

SP Sotto: Oo.

Q: Si Laborte nanghingi ng security, pati si Keith and Cabading, are you going to provide them?

SP Sotto: Yes we will provide them, lalo na kung mabigat ang mga revelations nila at bilyon-bilyon sa pera ng tao ang pinaguusapan. We have to make sure that they are secured.

Q: What makes you think that the President will relieve the PhilHealth board when in the case of Sec. Duque pinanindigan niya na iretain?

SP Sotto: Kasi narinig ko sinabi niya. Just a whiff of corruption, sabi niya. Tapos biglang ngayon, meron daw importanteng sasabihin, I expect that, yun lang ang akin.

Q: A PhilHealth official hinted that they would need additional funds to continue surviving. What would convince you to give the agency a higher subsidy for 2021 in the budget?

SP Sotto: Ang laki ng investments nila, malaki ang income nila. Paano kami magbibigay ng additional budget or funding sa kanila kung ang naririnig namin ay anomalya? Kung malinis yan, above board lahat yan, walang nagrereklamong mga ospital, walang nagrereklamong mga pasyente, walang overpricing sa mga binibili, dadagdagan namin yan sigurado. Kung pwede naming dagdagan ng malaki, dadagdagan namin yan.

Q: So unless may marinig kayong reforms you will just grant whatever in the proposal?

SP Sotto: Baka imbestigahan pa yung proposal. Bakit, saan mo gagamiting ito? Di ba, ganoon ang mangyayari doon.

Q: Pero di ba sobrang crucial ng survival ng PhilHealth because of the pandemic?

SP Sotto: Kaya nga, kaya nga kami worried na worried dito. Kaya nga talagang mainit yung mga senador sa inquiry na ito kasi napaka crucial ng PhilHealth at saka ng Department of Health sa pandemic na pinagdadaanan natin pagkatapos, ganyan? Magkakaroon ng shouting match, bull session sa mga meeting nila at ang pinaguusapan at pinag aawayan ay merong anomalya sa pondo ng PhilHealth? Bakit hindi tayo mag iinquiry tungkol dito, may opening statement nga silang ginamit, annual shaming of politician--annual bash PhilHealth frenzy daw. Bakit, may pandemic ba last year? Meron bang nagwalang board meeting ninyo last year? Meron bang nag-away sa board meeting ninyo last year? Wala, ngayon meron, kung kailan may pandemic, doon pa. Pagkatapos, lagging palusot, kasi yung IT kailangan iimprove. Iimprove? P62,000, eh P320,000(?) ang gusto ninyong bilhin? P62,000 ang halaga ng mamahalin, P320,000(?) ang proposal ninyo sa pagbili, sino ang matutuwa sa inyo?

Q: Kailangan ba na may makasuhan muna or matanggal before the Senate would agree to give PhilHealth the budget that they want?

SP Sotto: I can't answer that right now, medyo depende yan pero definitely we will be very careful about the budget. Siguro, ganoon na nga yun. Tama, unless we are sure that the money is going to be spent well and it will redound to the benefit of the people. Especially the patients and especially the sick Filipinos, then we will agree.

Q: What changed Laborte's mind sa hearing?

SP Sotto: The way Sen. Lacson told me, the one or two new witnesses are ready and willing to come out now after they heard the hearing at yung mga klase ng palusot na (unclear). That is what I remember na sinabi ni Sen. Lacson. Yun daw ang sabi ng mga testigo. Pagkatapos nilang marinig yung hearing, biglang naisip nila, hindi, dapat malaman ng Senado ito.

Q: What will he be talking about?

SP Sotto: Hindi ko sigurado yun, hindi ko alam. As a matter of fact, one of the resource persons merong affidavit na pinadala disclosing other things that we were not aware about and I know this for a fact because the lawyer is a friend of mine. The lawyer will be coming here tomorrow and sabi niya mabigat yung mga sasabihin ng kliyente niya.

Q: PhilHealth officials are threatening to file libel charges against Keith and Cabading...

SP Sotto: Definitely they are threats to the witnesses but it won't fly. Believe me it cannot fly. Ano yung pinirmahan na non-disclosure? Ano ang ibig mong sabihin, meron kang nakikitang anomalya sa gobyerno, hindi ka pwedeng mag divulge kasi may pinirmahan kang non-disclosure? Kasama ba doon sa pinirmahan nilang non-disclosure ang corruption? (Unclear) kaya definitely pananakot sa mga testigo yun. Bad move. Pati yung threat ng libel, bad move. Sunod-sunod na ano yan. Doon mo makikita, you know, ang Panginoong Diyos hindi natutulog. Pag gusto kang magkamali, magkakamali ka. Akala mo tama yung kilos mo, magkakamali ka. Bad move, believe me.

Q: May bagong positive na naman sa Senate, may mga changes po bang gagawin, would you consider prolonging the lockdown?

SP Sotto: Kasi wala pang report or ebidensiya na sa Senate nakuha kahit sino sa kanila kaya ang hirap namang itrace ng Senado dahil sa ganoon. There are 1,800 employees. Oras na nag ECQ kami completely, nag ECQ na nga kami ng two weeks but I could not declare ECQ doon sa nagpapasweldo. Walang kakainin yung mga empleyado. 1,800 yan, pwera ang mga senador. Ang hirap, mahirap unless there is evidence, kasi halos everyday nagdidisinfect pati gamit namin. Pag tumayo ako sa silya ko, may umupong bang tao, let's say (unclear) senador, bago ako umupo doon, dnidisinfect nila yun. Maingat na maingat. Nakita mo all the barriers that were laced already, you haven't seen it physically kasi. The barriers that are there, para kaming naka spaceship lahat, kami ni Sen. Lacson naguusap kami sa plastic kahit magkatabi kaming ganoon. May mask na kami, hindi pa kami nagkakausap ng ganyan. Even yung mga empleyado, those that are skeletal force that is there, not only OSAA but also the secretariat, very few and very careful. Ang kwento naman sa amin pag iniimbestigahan or tinatanong, hindi doon sa Senate malamang nakuha. Pag nag tracing, like for example, pag nagtracing ng isang senador, mga nakasama ng senador, lahat ng kasama niya tinetest negative, so wala siya doong nakuha. Sa labas niya nakuha.

Q: The main defense of Morales is that kaya may corrupt officials in PhilHealth na sinisiraan yung IT program nila because the IT program would make flagging irregularities easier. What do you make out of that?

SP Sotto: Panong idedemonize eh P62,000 nga ang pinaka mamahalin. P320,000(?) ang gusto nilang bilhin. P410 pa nga nung original, gusto nilang palabasin nakatipid pa sila sa P320,000, paano sinisiraan yun? Pag nagsabi ba ngtotoo, pag pinuna yung mali mo, sinisiraan ka? And then the IT program can be done, pasupervise ninyo sa DICT. That is why we want DICT there tomorrow. Pasupervise ninyo sa DICT tingnan natin. Kita mo baka papalag-palag sila kasi hindi sila bibili. Not a good excuse. I have yet to hear at this point a very good excuse from PhilHealth of why there is no corruption.

Q: Yung task force was given 30 days para mag imbistiga, pero how soon should they act kasi 30 days, ang dami pang pwedeng mangyari.

SP Sotto: Sana ideally as soon as possible. Ngayon by tomorrow we will know if they are going to be cooperative or not because there are three subpoena deuces tecum that I addressed to Gen. Morales. We expect it to be submitted today or tomorrow. Then there are also other subpoena deuces tecum issued to two or three other officials for documents that they have in their possession. Tingnan natin kung cooperative sila bukas. Pagka nakarinig tayo ng we cannot find it, or it is lost, we are still looking for it, alam ninyo na. Dapat diyan ay magwala na yung team na inassign ni Presidente.

Q: Is Sec. Duque invited tomorrow?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa, it was too late nung narinig ko yung request ni Sen. Drilon, nakarating sa akin yung request ni Sen. Drilon pero in lieu of, sabi niya kasi hindi na raw aattend si Morales kaya dapat si Duque ang (unclear) eh una, late ko natanggap, pangalawa, aattend daw si Morales pero Zoom. Now if we have to extend, then we will invite Sec. Duque but you know, it s an open invitation to him. Now, kung gusto niyang umattend bukas para mamonitor niya ang nangyayari, or makapagbigay siya ng pananaw niya sa nangyayari diyan dahil siya mismo nandoon siya sa meeting na yun na nag aaway sila, eh di maganda sana kung dumating siya. Hindi naman niya kailangan ng imbistasyon, Secretary of Health siya.

Q: Pero hindi ba telling din na he has been keeping mum?

SP Sotto: Siguro he believes in the saying na less talk, less mistakes. Ano masasabi natin sa kanya?

Q: Pero kapuna-puna na silent siya sa corruption sa PhilHealth.

SP Sotto: Yes, he is definitely silent. I don't know, has he issued any statements? Hindi ko alam. Then, it is quite interesting na bakit wala siyang comment. Sa Tagalog, hindi interesting yan, sa Tagalog yan, nakapagtataka na ikaw ay on top of the PhilHealth, ikaw ang Secretary of Health, dapat yan meron kang concern. Meron kang statement one time or another about the issues of corruption in the PhilHealth itself. Nakapagtataka na hindi siya nagcocomment.

SP Sotto: Kailangan ba ng batas para yung mga top officials idisclose yung kanilang health conditions?

SP Sotto: Mabigat ang tanong mo. Parang meron. I cannot answer you technically, theoretical, dapat talaga pero I cannot answer you technically kasi ang alam ko parang meron... conduct of public officials. Wala sa constitution pero meron sa conduct of public officials. Ireresearch ko. Alam ko meron, kung wala, eh di lagyan natin. Tamang tama may mga bagong hinihiling ang Central Bank, gusto nila ilift yung bank secrecy law, hinihiling daw ng FATF. Medyo mabigat na discussion sa amin yan but we have to take it up. Ganoon din yan, disclosure naman. Personal disclosure, personal wellbeing or health of a public official. Tingnan natin, ang alam ko kasi meron. Conduct of a public official...research ko, itetext ko sa inyo.

Q: May natanggap kayong information na yung address to the nation ni Presidente ay may connection sa PhilHealth?

SP Sotto: Wala, wishful thinking lang.

Q: Pero in case may anunsiyo si Presidente tungkol sa PhilHealth, pwede ba itong rason para mashorten na yung hearing ng Senate?

SP Sotto: Oo. That will save us a lot of time and effort pero still we will still have to come up with remedial measures amending the PhilHealth law so that these types of anomalies will never happen again. (Unclear) pag narinig natin sa Presidente, I am sure matutuwa ang maraming tao.

Q: Kung may sibakin na ngayon si Presidente itinuturing ninyo na isa na ito sa magandang resulta nitong pinasimuan ninyong imbestigasyon?

SP Sotto: Yes, definitely. Maraming magpapalakpakan na mga kababayan natin, mga tao pagka ginawa ng Presidente yan.

Q: Yung legislative immunity and security ibibigyan ninyo sa tatlo?

SP Sotto: The security yes, we will be able to provide them the security. Legislative immunity is incumbent upon the Senate already. So that is something that is there already. There is no need for a parliamentary immunity although some lawyers are saying that there is no such thing daw but the House of Representatives has done that a number of times. They never questioned it. Sa Senate, this happened once or twice. Ang thinking nung ganoon is nakapaloob na yun sa parliamentary immunity ng Senado or ng Kongreso.

Q: Yung tatlong witness nasa protective custody ng Senate?

SP Sotto: Merong sa Senate na security na pwede naming iprovide but we will also recommend them for witness protection sa DOJ.

Q: According to Sen. Drilon the P140 billion sa Bayanihan 2 is not enough so pagdating sa bicam hihilingin niya na taasan po? Kumporme po kayo doon?

SP Sotto: Kumporme ako doon definitely sapagkat merong sa House version, P165 billion yata. But then I understand that there were some amendments that were proposed na yung budget na supposed to be for the DOT ay naalis, nalagay sa kung saan, hindi ko alam pero natanggal. Medyo ano yun, (unclear) part yun ng economic stimulus proposals yun. So paguusapan siguro namin. Additional, yes why not if we can afford.

Q: May schedule na po ng bicam?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa. Tapos na yung sa House, nag third reading yata sila today.

Q: So anytime this week pwedeng simulant yung bicam?

SP Sotto: Oo, anytime kasi after today kasi may bicam members na kami. Sila ang magbubuo pa lang after they pass it on third reading.

Q: Very crucial yung Bayanihan 2 considering na meron na nga tayong economic recession?

SP Sotto: Yes.

Q: Yung new witness, unexpected po siya?

SP Sotto: I will have difficulty saying yes or no kasi it was Sen. Lacson na kausap.

Q: But yung disclosure is something new?

SP Sotto: Ang intindi ko sa pagkakasabi is may bago at mag (unclear). Madidiinan yung mga pinagusapan (unclear).

Q: (Unclear) kung may sinibak talaga, before the Senate can consider additional subsidies for PhilHealth?

SP Sotto: Yes. As a matter of fact palagay ko we would expect na madali kaming tumulong kaagad sa PhilHealth kung lahat nung dumumi ang kamay dito sa mga anomalyang ito ay tanggalin or (unclear) at the very least.

Q: Sabi po ni Domingo as far as she knows there is no such thing as organized corruption, meron lang daw po a few scattered corruption sa PhilHealth.

SP Sotto: Corruption pa rin yun. Corruption is corruption whatever term you want to describe it. Organized or not, it is still corruption. There are claims that there is organized corruption, the spokesperson of PhilHealth is expected to say that, that there is none. Alangan namang siya pa yung (unclear) sa mga kasama niya. Or probably she is not aware of that. Kasi nga, ang klase ng mga eksplanasyon at klase ng mga sinasabi ng mga officials na humarap sa atin, ang pakiramdam ko, this personal lang, hindi ko sinasama ang mga kasama ko sa Senado, ang akala nila, mainit na mainit kami doon sa corruption na nangyayari sa mga ospital at saka sa mga taga PhilHealth. Yung hindi nababayaran, nababayaran, merong naglalagayan, akala nila doon ang mainit na mainit. Isa lang yun. Ang mainit na mainit yung pag gastos nila ng pera. Yung pag gamit nila ng pera. Isa sa mainit na usapin yun. We should not brush that aside, that is the... (unclear) sinasabi na hindi, dati ng may corruption sa PhilHealth, kasi doon sa mga regional office, mga ganyan sinasabi nila, merong corruption sa ganito, sino mababayaran kaagad, hindi lang yun. This is a whole gamut of allegations and anomalies that are being alerted that is why our concern is to find out all about this things, find out how it can be eliminated, and put it in the PhilHealth law. We amend the law, we prevent this from happening again, this is billions of pesos being handled by the people who should be as clean as (unclear).

Q: May nabuo na ba kayong judgment sa character nitong si Gen. Morales or are you leaving room for doubt pa?

SP Sotto: Almost. I am still leaving room for the so called benefit of the doubt and it should be proven whatever way, whether it is for or against the credibility of the person there must be strong evidence for or against before I will conclude. But right now I am just basing it on what we heard, what we are alerted so far.

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