TRANSCRIPT OF INTERPELLATION
Senator Risa Hontiveros with Ambassador Bienvenido Tejano during the Committee on Appointments hearing

Senator Risa Hontiveros (SRH): Mr. Chair, and dear colleagues, the ambassadors we confirmed will represent the country abroad and whose mandate includes the protection of Filipinos abroad must at all times behave impeccably. Their integrity should be beyond reproach. As a woman and as chair of Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, I take very seriously and with grave concern, reports or allegations or misconduct by our diplomats, especially those that involve sexual harassment, and more disturbingly, allegations of rape.

I read in the good nominee's profile and investigation report that he has previously served as Ambassador to Papua New Guinea and has again been reappointed to the same post. He has gone through the CA, the latest of which was on 8th February 2017. Reports of alleged misconduct that happened in the past were made in 202. Reports also alleged that the nominee invoked diplomatic immunity to escape charges on one of those cases. So just a few questions.

There have been local and international news articles regarding previous cases of sexual assaults filed against you. We do know that you already executed an Affidavit of No Pending Criminal or Administrative Cases and submitted your NBI clearance. However, considering the seriousness of these cases, may you please enlighten this body about these cases and provide us an update on their status.

Amb. Tejano: Thank you for this privilege. In fact, I would count this day at least my day to explain my side, and perhaps, vindicate what has been alleged to me. It has been publicized in newspapers. It was broadcasted in some radio stations. There was even a draft of this newspaper that was sent to Papua New Guinea and they paid them in order to publish and destroy me. This has been investigated. In fact, the Dept. of Foreign Affairs has sent an inquiry to Papua New Guinea. And it is unfortunate that I was not given a chance to defend myself and even to ventilate or reason out why these things were happening. I was surprised myself because this is not my life. This is not my life. This is something that I was in shock when I saw this allegation to me. And I don't have a media to cover my reason because I was not included in the media issues. How I wish I was given.

This has been investigated. And I could not be charged in Papua New Guinea because I was invoking impunity. This is not the way it's run. When there was not even a single issue of me and charges about crimes about rape, about all those charges. In fact, when I asked the newspaper that was published in Papua New Guinea, I called him, what is this? Well someone sent this to my office and when I was away in my office, they published it. I said, 'Why did you allow that?' You better explain. You know what she did? She wrote to President Duterte, asking permission that publication be withdrawn, but when you're already publicized like, it hurts me so much because this is not true. This is all fabricated. At ito po ay nag-ugat sa isang Pilipina na hindi ko natulungan sa Papua New Guinea, na nakakalungkot dahil gumawa sila ng ganito para lang siraan ako para maalis ako doon. Pero salamat naman that our justice system in this country is working. It was investigated. In fact, kahit sa korte, umabot sa korte, pagdating sa korte, hindi inintindi dahil wala namang katotohanan.

Kaya ako'y nagpapasalamat ngayong umaga at least napakinggan itong side ko ngayon. Maraming salamat po na inyo po inyong dinala ngayon. Sana man lang malathala man lang at anywhere, I can face anybody.. Haharapin ko po sila, wala akong kasalanan, wala akong ginawang sinasabi ninyo. Pinublish dito kaya nag-imbestiga ang Dept. of Foreign Affairs, hanggang sa Malacanang. Tinignan nila lahat ang pangyayari, wala namang katotohanan na lumabas. Hindi ko po babahiran ang aking personalidad, ang aking integridad dito, kasi kung meron lang katotohanan, I will never come anymore to apply this one because I have to represent my country and to bring the good image of our country. I would never even come to represent myself.

SRH: Salamat po Mr Ambassador, Mr Chair. Sabi niyo po yung DFA nagpadala ng inquiry. May kopya po ba kayo ng DFA investigation results? Pwede po ba isumite sa pamamagitan ng aming chair.

Amb. Tejano: Nung pumunta ang DFA doon, sumagot din ang DFA doon, alam po ninyo ang sagot ng DFA ng Papua New Guinea? Amb. Tejano is one of the best ambassadors here in the country. Sumulat ang Prime Minister kay President Duterte, thank you so much for sending Amb. Tejano. He is the best of our ambassadors here. Presidente mismo ng gubyerno, chief justice, inaano ko sa chief justice sa supreme court, sabi ko pakikalkal nga diyan kung meron akong kaso. Wala naman po. Ako po'y natutuwang dinala ko po ito dahil kahit papaano ngayon lang naventilate ang aking hinanakit dahil sa kagustuhan lamang ng isang ano na hindi makuha ang gusto niya.

SRH: Pwede po makahingi ang aming chair doon sa kopya ng DFA investigation results? Salamat po. Amb, binanggit niyo rin po na may senior journalist na sumulat sa dating Presidente?

Amb. Tejano: Nariyan po. Yung sulat ng Chief of Police, Chief Justice ng Supreme Court, ng Dept. of Foreign Affairs, lahat naririyan.

SRH: Salamat po. At ito po'y kopya ng mga sulat ng ulo ng chief of police, chief justice ng Papua New Guinea.

Amb. Tejano: Pati sulat ng Prime Minister.

SRH: May isang Pilipinang hindi natulungan ninyo sa Papue New Guinea, yung detalye pong iyon nandito narin po ba?

Amb. Tejano: Wala po ata diyan.

SRH: It's alright Ambassador. Kung pwede niyo nalang pong i-followup na maipadala kay chair.

And lastly, dito sa unang tanong, sabi niyo, yung inquiry na sinimulan sa DFA ay umabot din sa Malacanang noon. Meron po bang written results ng Malacanang? Either inquiry or comment dun sa DFA?

Amb. Tejano: Parang ang ginawa ata ng Malacanang ipinasa sa.. May Commission noon na nag-imbestiga. Tinanong din ako. Ininquire. You do all what you can do to investigate.

SRH: Aling Commission?

Amb. Tejano: Kay Atty. Beljica..

SRH: Yung dating Anti-Corruption commission?

Amb. Tejano: Tama po

SRH: May comment din po sila sa finorward ng Malacanang.

Amb. Tejano: Parang nagpadala lang sila sa akin ng inquiry about this, so parang sinagot, nagpadala din ako ng sagot doon maam sa kanila, yung mga sagot, parehos din yun.

SRH: Yung sulat ng Anti-Corruption Commission noon at yung sagot niyo sa kanila, nandito narin po sa binigay niyo sa aming Chair?

Amb. Tejano: Wala ata maam. Kasi pinaliit ko nalang yung mga files diyan.

SRH: Kung maari nalang po maforward din ninyo sa aming chair. Salamat. Bate sa inyong PIR, nag-invoke kayo di umano ng diplomatic immunity sa kasong hinain sa inyo ng inyong dating Filipino Household staff sa PNG mula 2001 to 2002 kasi daw for sexual assault and non-payment of wages. Paano po na-appreciate ng court sa PNG itong defense ng diplomatic immunity kaugnay sa nasabing kaso?

Amb. Tejano: Wala po akong inanong hindi binayaran ang aking wages. Dinala rin yan sa korte, parang kasama yan sa inimbestigahan nila. Sexual assault is not true. These are all fabricated. Rooted din po yan diyan sa nagsimula yan nagfabricate ng ano na yan ng mga allegation.

SRH: Ano po yung naging opinyon o desisyon ng korte doon sa di umano defense of diplomatic impunity at sinabi niyo ring hindi niyo hindi binayaran yung wages at hindi totoo at fabricated yung charge of sexual.

Amb. Tejano: Na-dismiss yung kasong yan. Yung sa fiscal yan, nadismiss. Hindi nga ako nag-attend diyan eh sa sobrang inis ko. I never attended, bahala na, maghusga kayo kung gusto niyong husgahan, but I've never done that.

SRH: Maari po bang humingi ng desisyon, ng kopya ng court decision, yung dismissal, sa aming Chair.

Amb. Tejano: Meron po akong file.

SRH: Salamat, Ambassador. Ang susunod ko pong tanong.. Nagkaroon po ba ng kahit anong attempt na ma-recall kayo sa inyong post dahil sa itong mga allegation at saka dismissed charges? At ano po yung magiging posisyon ninyo kung magkaroon ng panawagan i-recall kayo kung sakaling i-confirm ng aming komisyon ang inyong appointment.

Amb. Tejano: I thank the DFA I was not given a recall order. In fact, after all these newspaper has been circulated, umuwi ako dito, dahil mayroong home consultation kami sa office, ipinublish na naman, yan recall na, tapos na, natanggal na, na wala naman akong recall order. Nagpunta lang ako dito dahil home consultation po namin sa DFA. Kaya salamat ulit kasi napasingaw ng kaunti ang aking hinanakit diyan.

SRH: Hindi po kayo nabigyan ng recall order ng DFA pero meron bang sinumang tao o grupo na hiniling ito sa DFA tungkol sa inyo? Meron po bang humiling na ma-recall kayo?

Amb. Tejano: Hindi ko lang po alam kung merong humingi sa DFA pero ang sabi ng DFA, Amb., there is a newspaper alleging that you have done all this. I was shocked you know and I immediately responded at sabi ko hindi totoo yan, this is all fabricated. Hindi ko lang maisa-isa ang lahat ng ugat na ito kasi ayoko din naman masira ang mga Pilipino. Alam niyo ang mga Pilipino sa PNG, meron ding hindi magaganda ang gawi eh. Pero dahil nandun ka, prinoprotektahan ko kasi ayaw ko na masaktan sila. Alam naman ninyo na PNG is one of the hardest hosts sa lahat natin and you know how hard it is. Pero with all efforts na habang ako'y naroroon, walang Pilipinong naapi at nasasaktan. Kahit kasalanan pa nila, ipinagtatanggol ko.

SRH: Ano yung magiging posisyon ninyo kung magkaroon ng panawagan na i-recall kayo pagkatapos na maiconfirm namin kayo?

Amb. Tejano: Walang problema po sa akin. Anytime. Kung mayroon kayong recall order sa akin, uuwi agad ako. I will not spare a minute. No problem.