Press Release
November 13, 2007

Interview with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

When we scheduled an investigation we usually look if it is one time hearing or kung meron kaming masusundan, paper trail, evidence, witnesses. So when I took a look at the resolution of this gift giving, or cash gift giving issue we found out that there will be something to investigate and that may paper trail etc. So we schedule two hearings right away. We're just finalizing the hearing next week it most probably be Wednesday morning because Tuesday morning we'll have the ZTE first. Second issue why don't we finished first the ZTE before we started the Bribery issue. Right now we're give the benefit of the doubt and we're not saying that these money distributed is connected to the impeachment to the ZTE-NBN issue etc. But we are opening up our minds that timing dictates that we to at least open our minds na baka nga related sya because of the some people are panicking because of the revelation of the graft and corruption in the administration that's why we decided to start this hearing and we wanted to focus only on two governors because the two of them already admitted having gotten it and can point to to the source or at least to the people who will point to the source. So for the first hearing we only invited two governors. Governor Panlilio and Governor Mendoza,unfortunately yesterday suddenly hindi pwede si Governor Mendoza but essential ang kanyang presence but he made a statement already that he will cooperate so we don't want to issue subpoena's specially to local government officials. If they are essential to the investigation and they lead us to doing that we do it later on. So if he confirms that he will attend the second hearing because you already follow the story but apparently the person who gave the bag of money to the chief of staff of Governor Panlilio was that Governor Mendoza, what we want to ask Governor Mendoza sino ang nagbigay sa kanya, because in the case of the conressmen sbi ni Deputy Villarosa hindi nya maalala kung sino ang tinask nila to give the money so we have to follow the bags of money and other paper trail na meron. So tomorrow we will focus on Governor Panlilio and the committee has prepared some questions for him that will lead us to the hearing and on the second hearing aside from whatever na mababanggit nya na hindi pa natin alam bukas we'll invite the Amla, we invite officials of Kampi, the league of provincial governors and governor Mendoza.

Q: Anong effect ng wala si Governor Mendoza sa first hearing, anong kawalan nya kung meron man?

Well, saying lang because nafocus sana start pa lang kung san nanggaling yung pera. Because according to governor Panlilio nga nung sumakay sya sa kotse nandun na sa chief of staff nya yung bag, nung binuksan pera, ang sinabi nya "ah yan yung sinabi ni Governor Mendoza" so actually the link is the testimony of Governor Mendoza but hindi naman dead end just because Governor Panlilio kasi for example we know what bank it came from, we know yung Teller na nagbilang nung pera. So there are things that we can follow up and the other senators for the last two days also making statements. For example sabi ni Sen. Lacson if they have come from the PNP so we will look into that.

Q: Hindi ka ba nagduda biglang nagbago si Governor Mendoza?

Well, I give him the benefit of the doubt but as I said if he doesn't attend the second hearing mapipilitan kaming mag issue ng subpoena.

Q: Who's specifically in KAMPI, sbi mo officials in KAMPI?

I mentioned officials in KAMPI because Deputy speaker Villarosa named three people, herself, congressman Villafuerte, and secretary Puno. Unfortunately congressman Villafuerte and congresswoman Villarosa they are free to attend if they want and we will not officially compelled them to attend that's why we meant officials because we will send invitations to secretary Puno but they're free to bring anyone else from KAMPI to explain this.

If wala pang sagutan yung dalawa we would have considered them together para magsagutan but since medyo mahaba na yung issue at medyo nag ano naman, I mean kung ano man naimbento nila kung nag-iimbento naimbinto na. So kung kahapon sana nahuli, kahapon umamin pagsasabayin naming para magsagutan na right there. We did not see any danger we saw the advantage of focusing on certain witnesses on the certain time. In fact we even follow the schedule of governor Panlilio para sure na makapunta sya.

Q: Sir kahit may inter chamber courtesy meron po bang nagpadala senyo ng filler or information o pasabi na they wanted to attend?

Some civil society group said that their working on some congressmen and just like the public ang sinasabi ano ba ang nangyayari sa hearings ano ba nagiging resulta yun din daw ang tanong ng ibang congressmen. Pag pumunta kami anong magiging resulta nung reform etc. so there are other civil society group who are trying to convince some congressman, mag volunteer kayo because definitely when the truth has brought out may nangyayari.

I agree that the Blue Ribbon committee, cannot, should not, and will not, investigate every single allegation of corruption in the country but as an extra ordinary measure or relief to cases were in people cannot trust or we cannot logically think that certain institution will investigate Malacanang because sa Malacanang nagkabigayan eh and part of the testimony of father Ed is that is one of the topics nung leagues of governors where the impeachment tapos nagkabigayan dun so, we cannot expect the DOJ and the Ombudsman na to come up even if they do their work honestly bale magkakaron din nang duda dun ang publics about the institutions under the office of the president or appointed by the president.

We are inviting Secretary Puno being the head of KAMPI so that would give him the opportunity of Senator Lacson to present the evidence and pursue his allegation and ask secretary Puno and as an alternative I think si Senator Lacson ang nagsabikung hindi man sa hearing sa budget hearing pursue. So, whatever individual needs meron ang mga senators will be up to them.

So far sa congressmen, ang testimony ni congresswoman Villarosa is that dalawa o tatlo lang ang binigyan nila but the information that we got again from people who are yet who are willing to testify is lahat nung nakaupo dun sa mesa ay nilagyan ng paper bag sa harap. And that's why we also writing to tv stations I think we already wrote to Abs-Cbn to ask for footage so that we can see who among the congressman are coming out from malacanang carrying the said famous papr bag. Whatever the source yung, basta lahat daw nag-attend dun hindi daw sinabi nilagyan na lang dun yung basta para bang giveaway ba.

Initially ang lumalabas Governor Mendoza told him na mukang may pera para sa Brgy. Election at sinabi ni Governor Panlilio hindi ko tatanggapin yan, kung para sa brgy.election eh pano kung para sa projects, sa projects ok pero pagdating ni governor Panlilio sa kotse hawak na nung isang tao nya, pinakita nagulat pera, at sinabi baka yan yung sinabi ni governor Mendoza. I'll let the governors tell the details tomorrow, but I'm just saying that in context,kinokontext ko lang yun sino ang kumausap kay governor Mendoza at sino ang nagbigay. Definitely kung sinabi nya kany governor Panlilio may nagsabi naman sa kanya that's what the committee wants to do. Hindi ka naman magdi distribute nang ganung kalaking pera kung hindi mo kilala ang pinagbigyan mo. So that's why we will not compel the congressmen and women to attend but we will not also naman take the tes timony na ridiculous. Mamimigay ka nang kalahating milyon bawat tao sasabihin mo hindi mo kilala kung kanino mo binigay.

That's where the irony will come in pag sinabi ni Secretary Puno na executive privileged conflict na yun sa sinasabing walang alam si presidente dito. Kasi ang sinasabi sa executive privileged ay pinag-usapan nyo ng presidente yan but at the same time lahat ng nagtetestify so far na umaamin na galling sa kanila ang pera ang sinasabi nila walang alam ang presidente dyan. So kung walang alam ang presidente dyan wala dapat mag claim ng executive privileged. Sanay naman sila na kahit hindi logical yung reasoning nila tinutuloy nila but then for me the committee will take note for that but if you said executive privileged ibig sabihin pinag-usapan nyo ng presidente.

Q: Si Sec. Puno Kanina gusto nya umattend pero magpapaalam muna kay GMA�..

ASC: Anyone who voluntarilycomes but we will focus muna sa testimony ni Gov. Panlilio. Remember the first hearing ng ZTE-NBN sinabi ng mga secretaries di sila pupunta so as of now wala pang congressman na nagsabi but we're hoping na in the course of investigation the'll be enough public clamour and the'll be enough incentive for people to tell the truth who will voluntarily come.

Q: Re ZTE?

ASC: Sa ZTE..I'll just repeat, we are focusing on three issues, one the necessity of the project, two the process or the law on foreign borrowings act, the budget process etc and number three the bribery / overpricing. So the BROOM is fixing the preliminary report on al of these issues and kung ano pa yung kulang and base sa kulang yun pa ang mga iimbitahin naming. For example yung tatlong may ari ng mga broadband backbone existing privately owned we will be inviting them so we can compare what they have already done compare yung sa DOTC so for each of the three issues we are preparing the witnesses. We'll have probably have two or three hearings depending on what comes up during those hearings or during the technical working group but if nothing else comes up to two or three hearings then we wrap it up and come up with a report.

Clearly under our rules iba ang investigation made legislation so it won't stop us. If ever may effect if someone is charge already and they come to us they can claim that they will refuse to answer some questions. But not to attempt different thing and blanket a claim that they can't answer anything.

I'd like to remind secretary Neri although he's saying na wala na syang ishe-share he promise us na he will come back. And I know He's a man of his word. So I'm relying on his word that he'll come back. But he doesn't honor his own word we will send him a subpoena. Ang gagawin kasi naming dito ang bawat testimony susundan namin para makita. Actually tatlong aspects yung sa kanya one yung usapan nila ni GMA, ng presidente, #2 yung role ng NEDA kung ano yung nangyari sa policy and #3 sila yung pumasok sa gusot baka sila din yung maka recommend kung ano yung mga solution amendments sa mga batas na to protect the public. And as I mentioned before yung Cyber Ed we want them to atleast answer how come sa lahat ng initial documents kasama yung Cyber Ed sa NBN-ZTE backbone, bakit nagkaroon ng ibang backbone na gagamitin, ibang technology at mas mahal pa ang kontrata. So at this point of time hindi naming sinasabi na hindi kailangan yun pero nakakagulat bakit yung sulat ng ambassadors kay secretary Defensor kasama dun. Yung DOTC back may recommendation sila na isama na at hindi kaya ng DepEd na patakbuhin ang isang IT project at dapat hindi sila mag handle. We're opening that window to see if initially they can answer and give us good reasons, we might pursue that but if very flimsy, and if they can't give us good reason why they separated the project then magdududa kami that anomalies extend to the ZTE contract.

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