Press Release
February 9, 2009

Interview with Sen Alan Peter Cayetano on NBN ZTE Report (part 2)

Q: Ano ung sinasabi ni Senator Gordon na it should be you. If you insist lang na ilipat sa kanya ung paggawa ng committee report, baka mapahiya ka lang.

SEN ALAN: The chairman and the committee are responsible for the committee report and the investigation. This is the first time in the history of the house and the senate na magiging obligation ng tinanggal na chairman ang paglabas ng report and paggawa ng investigation. I think the bigger question is bakit takot or bakit ayaw tapusin ang investigation. Ever since kahit ako ung chairman ang sinasabi ko we will have at least one more hearing at kailangan ung testimony sa involvement ng pangulo ay lumabas at maipasok sa record. Itong testimony na ito ay naibigay na during the impeachment proceedings sa Committee on Justice on house through speaker, former speaker Jose de Venecia. So what Senator Gordon should do is call for another hearing, wrap up the loose ends, and kung kelangan nga ng tulong na gawin ung report, willing ako tumulong. Pero ung ipasa ang obligasyon sa amin, or sa akin individually will be counterproductive. And will assume na tapos na ang imbestigasyon sa ZTE. Furthermore, ang nabalitaan ko na ang tunay na pakay sa ZTE ay tanggalan ng security si Jun Lozada at iba pang mga witnesses. Alalahanin natin na si Jun Lozada ay hindi lamang sa ZTE, na nagiging witness, kundi meron din iba katulad ng south rail. So I think the committee should tell us what they want to do and how they will be proceed. Tatapusin ba nila ang imbestigasyon na ito o hindi? Tatanggalan ba ng security si Mr. Lozada or hindi? Paano ung mga nakabinbing na mga imbestigasyon noh. For example, why is he only saying ZTE? Paano ung gift giving sa Malacanang? Paano ung sa Hanjin na joint committee hearing namin on the environment? So napakarami naman na imbestigasyon at willing naman kami na tumulong and we're giving enough time sa committee. Pero hindi tama na ipasa nya. Because remember, the report has to be signed by the majority. Hindi lang ang chairman ang gagawa ng report and aside from that usapan na naming ni Sen. Roxas and Sen. Biazon na sa each aspect ng imbestigasyon, kanya kanyang report. So bakit ako lang ang kinukulit ni Senator Gordon. Bakit si Senator Roxas at Senator Biazon ay hindi kinukulit ni Senator Gordon? Pero if you ask me I can help but let's complete the investigation first. Hindi tayo pwede maglabas ng report na half-baked na may mga importante na hindi naisama. So ganun din ang stand ko pagdating dito sa fertilizer fund. Masyadong pababa ang naging imbestigasyin imbes na kung sino ang nasa ibabaw ni joc joc bolante. So let's go after the mastermind not after those who simply participated in the scam.

Q: So you're not satisfied with the way senator Gordon is handling the investigation?

SEN ALAN: I'm happy the way he scheduled, the way he drills, the way he questions witnesses, but I don't think it's complete. As I said, hindi lang kailangan na pakilawa, pakanan, pataas, pababa ang imbestigasyon. Ang nangyari pababa lang. I'll give you another example, napakarami pa na ibang supplier na hindi nakasama sa COA report. So am I happy so far with the performance of Senator Gordon? Yes. But should we close the hearing on the fertilizer? Definitely not.

Q: So ang sinasabi mo, pababa lang pero ung...

SEN ALAN: Ung mga kalavel nya at nasa ibabaw nya, ni Mr. Bolante, parang nakalimutan sa imbestigasyon na ito.

Q: Like..

SEN ALAN: Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mas masakit. Na kung totoong 700 million ay kayang iscam ng isang user or kung hindi ito totoo. Kasi kung hindi ito totoo, pinapakawalan natin kung sino ang nasa ibabaw nya na gumawa nito. Kung totoo ito, isipin mo lahat ng USEC pwedeng iscam ng 700 million - napakalaki naman un para sa USEC level lang. We haven't even called former DBM officials, we haven't even called Sec. Lorenzo. We have not looked into the relationship of these funds with the 2004 elections. And if we look at the investigation, ang title ng investigation na ito ay ung pondong ninakaw na ginamit sa elections.

Q: So napabayaan na ang paglilink sa Malacanang?

SEN ALAN: Palayo ito sa Malacanang, imbes na palapit sa Malacanang. Which whether we clear or we condemn the palace or the president, the point is we investigated it. Is he doing a good job of going after the underlinks, yes. But he should go after the masterminds? Definitely.

Q: Dun sa sinasabi nya na kayo naman ang humawak ng bulk ng investigation?

SEN ALAN: I presided but the records are with the committee, the chairman now controls the committee, the consultants are under the control of the committee. So if he's going to ask me to help draft it, I will help draft it. But if he's saying that ako dapat gumawa, wala ako authority na gumawa noon. Dahil I'm a mere member. Now kung magbobotohan sila na they will assign a member to do a report, I will think about it. But hindi ako papayag na wala pang isang hearing.

Q: Baka sabihin nila na nagiging ano lang na inalis kayo sa pwesto, na sourgraping kayo?

SEN ALAN: It's not sourgraping kasi hindi ko naman sya kinukulit na maglabas ng report. It's just so na ung bagong chairman ay kinukulit ung dating chairman samantalang controlado na ung committee. Pero ung sinasabi nya na ako gagawa, bibigay ko sa 'yo ang tao, at pwede mo icontinue ung hearing, i will meet with the witnesses and look at the documents left, of course i would love to complete it.

Q: Hindi daw mature ang...

SEN ALAN: We just have to assume that everyone in the senate is intelligent, mature and has good intentions. Lahat naman kami binoto ng tao so maybe there are acts of immaturity that come out because we are human. But id rather everyone is mature

Q: So you don't feel alluded to Senator Gordon na may ilang senador na immature

SEN ALAN: All I can say is mister chairman, you talk too much.

Everyone: *laughs*

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