Press Release
November 13, 2007

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH
SENATOR JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA

On Sandigan efforts to seize Erap assets...

SEN. JINGGOY: Kami naman we are willing to abide by the decision of the Sandiganbayan. Ung nakalagay sa decision to recover ung Boracay mansion which is not property of Pres. Erap. Sa isang.. He has repeatedly saying that that property is not his. Ung account na 200 million plus interest, which belong to the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation, hindi naman siya ang signatory doon. They can get it. Pero ung mga properties na hindi specified sa decision ng Sandiganbayan, huwag naman nilang kunin. Ang problema sa writ of execution, they went beyond the properties which are stated in the decision of Sandiganbayan. Hindi naman pwede un.

Pagbawi ng pardon...

SEN. JINGGOY: Well, I am not a lawyer. But I think they can't do that. Ano ito laro, basketball ba ito. Ang involved dito ay buhay ng isang tao at ang kalayaan ng isang tao.

Need for Malacañang talks again...

SEN. JINGGOY: There's no need to talk with Malacañang.

Lawyer to lawyer?

SEN. JINGGOY: Yes, I think so.

Agreement of any sort?

SEN. JINGGOY: There was no agreement. In all due respect Malacañang and to Pres. Estrada, we did not strike any deal with Malacanang.

May politics dito?

SEN. JINGGOY: Well, I do not know. Siguro ayaw nila ung idea na we remain with the opposition. Kami'y maninindigan na kami'y talagang miyembro ng oposisyon, hanggang 2010.

Pressure?

SEN. JINGGOY: I do not want that idea. Unang-una, my position here in the Senate, a lot of people question my stand when Mrs. Arroyo granted pardon to my father, lumambot na daw ako. Of course not. I'll never compromise my position as a member of the opposition.

Freezing of assets.

SEN. JINGGOY: I think they froze an account of my parents even before my dad became president. Artista pa lang siya, may account na siya dun sa Citibank, I'm not aware of it.

Frozen pa rin un hanggang ngayon?

SEN. JINGGOY: I think so. Pinag-ipunan un ng mga magulang ko un, bakit nila kukunin un? If they can prove that this is under the name of my father and if they can prove that it is ill-gotten wealth, maybe they can get it. But as far as we are concerned, wala kaming ninakaw sa kaban ng bayan.

They're targeting 1 billion...

SEN. JINGGOY: Wala naman kaming 1 bilyon. Anong ire-recover nila?

Naisahan sila?

SEN. JINGGOY: Ewan ko sa kanila? Ang hirap dito, ung mga ari-arian namin na in-acquire even before Pres. Erap became president, hindi naman pwede un. Ipaglalaban naming yan hanggang sa Korte Suprema.

My. President pa rin o Mrs. Arroyo?

SEN. JINGGOY: Sometimes, Mrs. Arroyo. It depends on the situation.

On bribery investigation and non-attendance of Gov. Mendoza...

SEN. JINGGOY: Why? Dahil aa-grant na ung request niya. Ung provincial director, hindi na siya a-attend, dapat umattend siya, to shed light.

Education summit, is that a reason?

SEN. JINGGOY: That is a very very flimsy reason. He has to explain to the people on what transpired in Malacanang. We have to get to the bottom of this. Panlilio is willing to testify, Gov.Mendoza should also testify.

Naduwag na si Mendoza?

SEN. JINGGOY: Your guess is as good as mine.

What is invest

SEN. JINGGOY: Sana naimbitahan natin ung opisyal ng ULAP, ung opisyal ng KAMPI, sila ung nakakaalam. May congressman na nagsabi na sila ung nagpamudmod ng pera. Kaya lang meron tayong tinatawag na inter-parliamentary courtesy, na hindi natin pwede ipatawag ung myembro ng Kamara.

Endorsement ni Bro.Mike

SEN. JINGGOY: Hindi. Hindi totoo yan. Wala naman siyang ibig sabihin dun.

Nagkakamatan tayo, sinabi ni Erap?

SEN. JINGGOY: Sinabi niya un dahil hindi naman tama na iilit ung ari-arian niya acquired before his presidency. Katulad ng Tanay property, na-acquire niya un nung siya ay superstar, nung siya ay kumikita bilang artista. Bakit naman pati un ay iilitin?

Magkakamatayan talaga?

SEN. JINGGOY: Palagay ko. Ipaglalaban namin hanggang umabot sa Korte Suprema. Hindi naman kami bayolente. Wala kaming history na pumapatay ng tao. Sa pelikula lang.

On OFW special hospital...

SEN. JINGGOY: Nakauasap ko in private si Administrator Roque ng OWWA, at alam mo itong bill na ifinile ko, together with bills Sen. Legarda at Senate Pres. Villar, interesadong interesado ako dito dahil wala pang hospital ung ating mga OFWs and their dependents. Nakauasap si Admin. Roque, balita ko meron silang malaking pondo. Siguro pampaunang pondo, pampagawa ng hospital, pwede manggaling sa OWWA, tapos ide-devovlve na lang natin sa DE[pt. of Health.

Govt-run?

SEN. JINGGOY: Siyempre. Pondo ng gobyerno, eh.

Status ng bill?

SEN. JINGGOY: Nasa committee level pa. Pag-uusapan pa namin. Ung site, tinatarget ko ung kung saan ako nakulong. Veterans. Masyado malawak. Ung mga ibang lupa dun, idle. Nung nakakakulong ako dun, nakita ko ang lawak-lawak ng lupa.

Only for OFWs?

SEN. JINGGOY: Oo. OFws and their dependents.

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