Press Release
July 26, 2007

Kapihan sa Senado excerpts (Guest: Sen. Loren Legarda)

ON THE CURRENT (2ND ) TERM AS PREPARATION FOR 2010:

SEN. LEGARDA: WHY IS IT THAT WHEREVER I GO THAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT BOTH MEDIA, POLITICIANS AND FRIENDS ASK ME? YOU WANT AN HONEST ANSWER? I HAVE NOT SERIOUSLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT. BECAUSE NO. 1, I AM STILL TIRED FROM THE PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN. SECOND, THERE IS SO MUCH WORK AT HAND. AND THIRD, I BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT OF CRISIS INCLUDING THE LOOMING WATER AND THE ENERGY CRISIS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, BEFORE WE EVEN THINK OF ANOTHER CAMPAIGN IN 2010. SO TRABAHO MUNA TAYO, BAGO PAG-USAPAN ANG ANONG POSIBILIDAD SA 2010.

ON COMMITTEE DISTRIBUTION:

SEN. LEGARDA:WE GAVE OUR MINORITY LEADER SENATOR PIMENTEL THE BLANKET AUTHORITY TO FIND OUT WHICH COMMITTEES WOULD BE AVAILABLE, IF EVER, TO THE MINORITY, AND DISCUSS IT AMONG OURSELVES WHICH COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS WE WILL HOLD. IN THE MEANTIME, THERE HAD BEEN NO COMMITTEE DISTRIBUTED , AS YOU KNOW. AND PAST EXPERIENCES WOULD TELL US THAT THE MAJOR COMMITTEES ARE USUALLY, TRADITIONALLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE MAJORITY COALITION. IN THIS CASE, THE 9 ADMINISTRATION, 3 OPPOSITION, AND 2 INDEPENDENT IF MY NUMBERS ARE CORRECT. SO IT WOULD BE UP TO SENATOR NENE PIMENTEL, IN HIS DISCUSSION WITH THE SENATE PRESIDENT TO FIND OUT WHICH REMAINING COMMITTEES, AFTER THE DISTRIBUTION IN THE MAJORITY COALITION, WILL BE LEFT TO THE MINORITY. THEN WE WILL HAVE TO DISCUSS IT AMONG OURSELVES. BUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE WILL CHAIR COMMITTEES OR NOT, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT COMMITTEES WE WILL CHAIR, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT OUR PERFORMANCE, ESPECIALLY, WE THE EIGHT OF US, AS FISCALIZERS AND WATCHDOGS HERE IN THE SENATE.

ON SUBMITTING COMMITTEE PREFERENCES TO SEN. PIMENTEL:

SEN. LEGARDA:..WE ASKED THE MINORITY LEADER TO FIND OUT WHICH COMMITTEES WILL BE AVAILABLE IF EVER THE MAJORITY DECIDES TO SHARE THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP. WE HAVE OUR PREFERENCES. WE STILL HAVE TO SUBMIT THESE PREFERENCES TO SEN. PIMENTEL. IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL JUST AWAIT AND PERFORM OUR TASKS IN THE SENATE WITHOUT COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS.

ON PREPAREDNESS TO WORK WITHOUT COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP:

SEN. LEGARDA: I AM ALWAYS PREPARED FOR ANY EVENTUALITY, BUT AGAIN, PAST EXPERIENCES DICTATE THAT THE MINORITY USUALLY RECEIVES COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS EVEN IN THE LAST CONGRESSWITH THE OPPOSITION AS THE MINORITY. EVEN THEN, THEY HAD COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS, BUT OF COURSE, THESE WERE THE, NOT LESS IMPORTANT, BUT MINOR COMMITTEES. SO I DON'T MIND. I'D BEEN THROUGH THAT

ON STATUS OF ELECTION PROTEST AGAINST VP DE CASTRO:

SEN. LEGARDA:..SABI KO NGA, KUNG NAALALA NINYO, BAGO AKO TUMAKBO, SINASABI NG ABOGADO NG AKING KATUNGGALI NA BASTA MAGFILE YAN NG CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY, MOOT AND ACADEMIC, DISMISSED NA YAN. NADISMISSED BA? HINDI. SINABI NILA, PAGKAPROKLAMA NI LOREN LEGARDA, MADIDISMIS ANG KASO. NADISMISS BA? HINDI. NGAYON AY BUHAY PA, ALIVE AND KICKING YUNG PROTESTA. KAUSAP KO LANG YUNG AKING ABOGADO NGAYONG UMAGA, SI ATTY. BRILLANTES, AT SABI NYA, WALA SILANG NAKUKUHANG MASKI ANONG KOMUNIKASYON MULA SA KORTE SUPREMANA DINIDISMISS ANG AKING KASO. DAHIL MERON KAMING PENDING NA PETISYON NA BIGYAN NG SOLUSYON O NG KASAGUTAN NG PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL O NG KORTE SUPREMA ANG AMING PETISYON, PARA IRESOLBA ANG FIRST ASPECT NG AKING KASO. ANO BA YUN? YUN YUNG HINIRING NAMIN NG ILANG TAON NA LANAO DEL SUR. YUN YUNG PINALIWANAG KO NOON SA MGA KAPIHAN NA YUNG 6 COPIES NG ELECTION RETURNS, PARE-PAREHONG RESULTA, FPJ-LOREN NANALO. NGUNIT YUNG ISANG KOPYA SA KONGRESO, IBA YUNG ENTRIES SA ELECTION RETURNS NA DAPAT AY CARBONIZED DUPLICATE COPIES. MAARING ITO AY TEKNIKAL NA BAGAY, PERO ITO AY NAPAKAHALAGA, LALUNG-LALO NA SA MGA DARATING NA PROTESTA SA SET AT SA PET KUNG MERONG MAN SA MGA DARATING NA PANAHON. KAYA ANG AKING PROTESTA AY NARIYAN PA, MERON AKONG NAKAHAIN NA PETISYON PARA IRESOLBA YUNG FIRST ASPECT UKOL SA ELECTION RETURNS NG LANAO DEL SUR. INAANTABAYAN NAMIN NI ATTY. BRILLANTES AT NG AKING MGA ABOGADO YAN. AT WALA PANG NOTICE NG DISMISSAL NA PINANGAKO NA ABOGADO NG KABILANG PANIG. PERO, KUNG ANUMAN ANG MANGYAYARI SA DARATING NA BUWAN, AY RERESPETUHIN KO ANG MAGIGING DECISION NG KORTE SUPREMA. GAYA NG SIMULA NG AKING PAG-FILE NUNG JULY 2004, SABI KO ALAM KONG ITO'Y MABAGAL, MASALIMUOT AT MAGASTOS, AT BAGAMAT HINDI AKO MAKAKAUPO, ITO'S GINAWA KONG LABAN PARA MAPATUNAYAN ANG KATOTOHANAN.

ON SERVING TERM AS VP IF SC RULES IN HER FAVOR:

SEN. LEGARDA: ..ANG HINIHILING KO AY ISANG PROBINSYA LAMANG. ISA LAMANG YAN SA 32 NA PROBINSYA NA NAKAPROTESTA. NGAYON, SA DARATING NA TATLONG TAON, HANGGANG SA 2010, SA END NG AKING TERM BILANG VICE-PRESIDENT, AY HINDI PO MATATAPOS YAN. MALIBAN DYAN, ANG KAILANGAN KONG PONDO AY 100MILYON NA HINDI KO KAYANG IPALUWAL. KAYA ANG HINIHILING KO LAMANG AY DESISYUNAN ANG ISANG PROBINSYA PARA LANG MATUTO TAYONG LAHAT AT MALAMAN ANG TOTOONG NANGYARI, PARA HINDI NA MANGYARI ULIT. PERO YUNG PAG-UPO BILANG BISE-PRESIDENTE AY HINDI NA PINAG-UUSAPAN DAHIL ISANG PROBINSYA, TATLONG TAON. 31 PROVINCES TO GO, SIGURO BY 2020 TAPOS NA YUN. BY THAT TIME, SANA NANDITO PA TAYO, PERO, DI KO NAMAN KAYANG IPAGLABAN NG GANUN KATAGAL.

ON THE THREAT OF SEN. DEFENSOR AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP OF SP VILLAR, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE OPPOSITION UNITING AGAIN ONCE HE FAVORS THEM IN TERMS OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIP:

SEN. LEGARDA:..YAN AY ISANG INTERNAL MATTER NA KAILANGANG PAG-USAPAN NG ADMINISTRATION O MAJORITY COALITION. YUNG PAG-UUNITE NG OPPOSITION, MALAKING POSSIBILITY LAGI, DAHIL HINDI NAMAN PERMANENTE YUNG HIDWAAN. AT SAKA SA TINGIN KO, AY WALANG HIDWAAN. DAHIL NAKITA NINYO NA SA PAGBOBOTO UKOL SA RESOLUSYON NA HINAIN NAMIN NINA SENATOR PIMENTEL, AY BUMOTO NG CROSS-PARTY AT KASAMAHAN NAMIN SA OPPOSITION AY BUMOTO DIN. ITONG PARANG IMAGINARY LINE BETWEEN MAJORITY AND MINORITY AY HINDI NAMAN PERMANENTE. SABI KO NGA IMAGINARY DAHIL ITO NAMAN, BAWAT ISSUE AY BOBOTO AT BOBOTO RIN MAGKAKASAMA ANG MGA MYEMBRO NG OPPOSITION.

ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MAJORITY DISBANDING, AND SP VILLAR JOINING THE MINORITY OPPOSITION AGAIN, INCLUDING THE OTHER OPPOSITION WHO MERGED WITH THE ADMIN:

SEN. LEGARDA:..KASAMAHAN NAMIN YAN MULA SA SIMULA, KATICKET NAMIN TUMAKBO , HANGGANG NGAYON TINUTURING KO SILANG MGA KAIBIGAN AT KASAMAHAN, AT YUNG IMAGINARY LINE, HINDI KO INI-IMAGINETHEY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WELCOMED, AND WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOMED, AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNEDI WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THEY (THE REST OF THE OPPOSITION) BECAUSE POLITICS IS NUMBERS. AND I THINK YOU NEVER CLOSE THE DOOR OR CLOSE A WINDOW TO COMRADES, TO COLLEAGUES, TO FRIENDS.

ON REACTION TO "HELLO ERAP":

SEN. LEGARDA:..WALA AKONG NARIRINIG AT HINDI KO PA NAKIKITA YUNG TRANSCRIPT. UULITIN KO YUNG AKING POSITION, UNTHINKABLE. UNBELIEVABLE. DAHIL GINAWA NYA ANG KANYANG MAKAKAYA PARA IPANALO KAMI NI FPJ, WITHIN HIS LIMITED CAPACITY, DAHIL SYA AY NAKAKULONG, I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT HE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO TRY TO MAKE US LOSE. IT IS UNTHINKABLE AND UNBELIEVABLE. MAARING ANO NA NAMAN YAN, STROKE PARA MAGKAROON NG HIDWAAN ANG OPPOSITION...

ON GMA STEPPING DOWN IN 2010:

SEN. LEGARDA:.. TO BE FAIR, AKO'Y NANINIWALA NA SI PANGULONG ARROYO AY BABABA SA PAGTAPOS NG KANYANG TERMINO SA JUNE 30, 2010. NANINIWALA AKO. HINDI AKO NATATAKOT, HINDI AKO NABABAHALA, O NAGDUDUDA.HINDI AKO NAGDUDUDA AT NABABAHALA NA SYA AY BABABA SA KATAPUSAN NG KANYANG TERMINO SA 2010UNA SA KONSTITUSYON YAN, DAPAT BUMABA. END OF THE TERM. MANDATED, SO THERE IS NO REASON. THE ONLY REASON SHE COULD STAY IN POWER IS IF THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND SHE BECOMES PRIME MINISTER, BUT I DON'T THINK AS I SAID LAST MONDAY THAT THERE COULD BE ANY SHIFT TO PARLIAMENTARY IN THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

ON ANY THREAT OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST GMA:

SEN. LEGARDA:..NASA MEMBRO NG MGA KONGRESO YUN. AT SIGURO HINDI AKO KARAPAT DAPAT NA MAGHUSGA O MAGBIGAY NG POSITION KO UKOL SA IMPEACHMENT, DAHIL KUNG AAKYAT YAN SA SENADO AY MAGIGING SENATOR-JUDGES KAMI.

ON THE CLIMATE CHANGE, LOOMING POWER AND ENERGY CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY, ETC:

SEN. LEGARDA:..UNANG-UNA, KAILANGAN MAGKAROON TAYO NG LONG TERM MEASURES PARA I-ADDRESS ANG PROBLEMA NG POWER AND WATER SHORTAGE. HINDI KUNG KELAN MAGHE-HEADLINE NG DROUGHT, DUN TAYO MAGTATANIM NG PUNO AT MAGSE-SAVE NG TUBIG. MAGTANIM TAYO NG PUNONGKAHOY IN EVERY VACANT CONCEIVABLE AREA, RURAL AND URBAN. PANGALAWA, AY KAILANGAN YUNG AUSTERITY MEASURES IN TERMS OF WATER, EVERY BUSINESS, RESIDENTIAL, GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT AY KAILANGAN MAGKAROON NG PAGTITIPID NG TUBIGKAYA DAPAT MAG-ISIP NA TAYO, SA DINAMI-DAMI NG BRILLIANT FILIPINO INVENTORS, NG SIMPLENG SEWAGE OR PLUMBING SYSTEM THAT IS GREEN. IBIG SABIHIN NG GREEN, ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLYSA NAKARAANG SAMPUNG TAON, 2 MILYONG PUNO NA ANG AKING ITINANIM. ITO AY HINDI SAPAT. KAILANGAN KO NG TULONG NG LAHAT NG AHENSYA NG GOBYERNO AT NG PRIBADONG SECTOR. KAYA ANG MAHALAGA, LONG TERM MEASURES. NGAYON DIN DENR, DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AT ANG LAHAT NG AHENSYA NG GOBYERNO AY DAPAT MAG-EMBARK SA ISANG MALAWAKANG PAGTATANIM NG MGA PUNONG KAHOY. HINDI PANG PRESS RELEASE. ..AT PANGALAWA, SIGURO YUNG AMING HINAIN NI SEN. PIMENTEL NA TOTAL LOG BAN FOR 25 YEARS FOR COMMERCIAL LOGGING AY NAPAPANAHON NA. PINILE KO YAN NUNG 1998, WALANG NANGYARI. JUST TODAY, CONG. TEDDY BOY LOCSIN EXPRESSED HIS FULL SUPPORT AND WANTS TO FILE A COUNTERPART MEASURE IN THE HOUSE... NARARAPAT AT NAPAPANAHON NA NA TAYO'Y GUMAWA SA PINAKAMADALING PANAHON NG ISANG MALAWAKANG PROGRAMA PARA SA WATER CONSERVATION, RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AT MASSIVE TREE PLANTING SA BUONG BANSA.

ON FAILURE OF GMA'S SONA TO ADDRESS ISSUES ON THE ENVIRONMENT:

SEN. LEGARDA:..WALA AKONG NAKITANG ISANG MALAWAKANG KOMPREHENSIBONG PROGRAMA PARA SA KALIKASAN. KUNG EPEKTIBO YUNG SONA, SANA AY NABANGGIT NA YUNG HEADLINE NGAYONG ARAW NA. IT IS THREE DAYS AFTER THE SONA. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE POSSIBLE WORST CRISES TO HIT THE COUNTRY, A WATER AND ENERGY CRISIS AND SHORTAGE WHICH WILL AFFECT NOT ONLY METRO MANILANS, CONSUMERS LIKE YOU AND I, ITO'S MAKAKAAPEKTO SA TURISMO, ITO'S MAKAKAAPEKTO SA NEGOSYO, ITO'S MAKAKAPEKTO SA PAGDALOY NG INVESTORS SA BANSA AT MAKAKAAPEKTO NG MASAMA SA ATING EKONOMIYA. ITO'Y HINDI NABANGGIT SA SONA.

ON COMMITTEE PREFERENCES:

SEN. LEGARDA:..EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND COMMERCE. KUNG HINDI MAN AKO MAGING CHAIR NG AGRICULTURE, MAYBE MEMBER OF THE AGRICOMM. KUNG DI MAN AKO MAGING CHAIR NG ENERGY, POWERCOMM. I'D LIKE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, MARAMI AKONG SINUMBIT. ID LIKE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE.PEACE AND UNIFICATION COMMITTEE.

ON INCREASING THE AFP BUDGET:

SEN. LEGARDA:..HINDI KAYA NG MASKI ANONG BUDGET SA AFP ANG PAGHINTO NG PUTUKAN SA MINDANAO. DALAWANG BAGAY LANG ANG DAPAT GAWIN, POVERTY ALLEVIATION MEASURES, NA TALAGANG MAGLAGAY NG PONDO AT NG PROGRAMA PARA SA MGA DEPRESSED MUSLIM AREAS. AT PANGALAWA, MAGKAROON NG SINSERO NA PEACE TALKS, DAHIL YUNG ALL-OUT WAR AT UUBUSIN DAW, NARINIG KO NA YAN, DI BA LUMANG TUGTUGIN NA YAN, UUBUSIN KO KAYO. I MEAN LAHAT NA LANG NG ADMINSTRASYON, ALL-OUT WAR, WALANG MANGYAYARI DYAN.

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