Press Release
November 1, 2007

Transcript of interview with Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada

Have you talked to your father?

SEN. JINGGOY: During my stopover in HongKong I called, I immediately called him up and I asked his whereabouts dahil hindi ko pa siya nakikita since he was freed from jail so ngayon pupuntahan ko siya so I am excited to see him as a free man.

I would also like to thank President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for giving pardon to my father President Joseph Estada.

Is there a deal that was struck?

SEN. JINGGOY: There was no deal whatsoever we did not have any deal with this administration. And for the information of others I will still remain with the opposition.

But you have been excluded from the solid 8

SEN. JINGGOY: I have been excluded ever since I voted for Senate President Villar but that does not mean that I will not do my responsibilities as a member of the opposition.

INC was involved in the securing the pardon...

SEN. JINGGOY:I would rather not comment on that I cannot confirm if they facilitated the pardon from President Arroyo.

Sec. Puno said that your father will prioritize your grandmother and will stay away from politics?

SEN. JINGGOY:Yes because of the critical condition of my grandmother today. I think that my father will spend more time with her in the hospital.

What is the medical condition of Doña Mary?

SEN. JINGGOY: I have been away for about two weeks and I have been in constant touch with the doctor anyway but my grandmother is still in critical condition. She cannot talk because she has a tube in her throat.

How many times has your father seen your grandmother

SEN. JINGGOY:I think almost everyday he has been in the hospital to visit my grandmother.

An he will stay away from politics?

SEN. JINGGOY: No he will still continue to help our poor people in whatever capacity whether as a private citizen or not.

Speaking against the administration, fiscalizing

SEN. JINGGOY: I will do the fiscalizing in the Senate. I will still discharge my duties and responsibilities as a Senator of this republic and as a member of the opposition.

Sir the impeachment case of PGMA ano ang magiging stand ninyo dun?

SEN. JINGGOY: The impeachment case must emanate from the House of Representatives and not in the Senate so I cannot comment on that.

Pagkakaisa sa bansa�

SEN. JINGGOY: I think this is the first step toward national reconciliation.

Will you call PGMA to personally talk to her?

SEN. JINGGOY: Well maybe. I can thank her personally right now.

Should there be future national security council will you be attending?

SEN. JINGGOY: If I'm invited, I just might. Several opposition lawmakers have been attending the national council meeting in the palace.

If the occasion for it comes up will President Estrada be leading mass protests.

SEN. JINGGOY: No I don't think so. We have never been leading, we have never destabilize this government ever since President Arroyo assumed power

ERAP hindi na opposition..

SEN. JINGGOY: NO. The opposition will be as strong as ever.

But it is former president ESTRADA who gets the support of the masses

SEN. JINGGOY: President Estarda will still be the figure head of the opposition no matter what other people say. I disagree with what former President Ramos has repeatedly been saying in the media since President Arroyo has issued a pardon for my father, that the days of the Arroyo adminsitation is numbered. I beg to disagree with the opinion of the old man. He should come clean with his Presidency first and he should explain to the Filipino people what happened to the Centennial Expo, to the AMARI Scam, and all the contract that he signed especially those Independent power producers and as far as I know there are twenty contracts that he has signed and you know what that means

Will GMA will finish her term?

SEN. JINGGOY: I think so.

Do you think its advantageous with your father to quarrel with FVR?

SEN. JINGGOY:He is the one who is quarreling with us and not us quarrelling with him. He has been issuing statements left and right criticizing the Arroyo Administration for giving pardon to President Estrada. He is a supreme hypocrite.

Can you tell us briefly what was you trip to Geneva all about?

SEN. JINGGOY: Yes, I went o Geneva to speak before other parliamentarians all over the world. I delivered a speech regarding the topic of migration of our overseas Filipino worker. Fortunately, I am very proud to say that the speech that I delivered was very successful. In fact they still want me to stay for a day to preside over the conference, to act as the president of the conference the next day. But I had to leave for New York , so I declined the offer.

You were in the IPU when the pardon was given.

SEN. JINGGOY: I was in the middle of answering questions from my colleagues all over the world when my cellphone kept ringing and the media kept on calling me regarding my reaction on the pardon granted by the Arroyo administration.

Did you expect it to come this soon?

SEN. JINGGOY: Nothing was really possible at that time. Because my grandmother was in real critical condition. Siguro naman naisip ni Ginang Arroyo that my dad should be at the bedside of my grandmother. And in fact I believe that GMA knows that ERAP did not steal money from the government.

On FVR has softening his stand�

SEN. JINGGOY: Wala naman siyang magagawa eh. Hindi naman siya ang Presidente eh.

On Gov. Singson�

SEN. JINGGOY: Ayaw kong magkommento sa isang taong hindi na pinaniniwalaan ng sambayanang Pilipino. He can fool the Filipino once, twice but he can never fool the Filipino always.

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