Press Release
May 12, 2009

Transcript of interview with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q: Sir,what do you think about the Malunggay noodles?

SP: Kahit ako rin nagtataka na mayroon ng malunggay noodles. Sapagkat wala akong nalalaman na large scale production of malunggay in the country. There are plenty of malunggay trees in the backyards of many houses, even here in Metro Manila. But to produce such quantity as they would have needed to produce the malunggay content of such a volume of noodles, I doubt whether they have a supplier for it.

Q: Do you cast doubt on the contract?

SP: It casts doubt on the quality of the products being marketed with malunggay content.

Q: Sa price po, may observations kayo?

SP: Medyo may kamahalan yata yung Php 22.00 per pack of 100-gram noodle.

Q: So, ok lang po na under review 'yun?

SP: Yes, it's ok. Dapat lang naman i-review.

Q: Sir, ano po nangyari dun sa bill on oil? Now, tumaas na naman po ang presyo ng oil.

SP: I have filed an Anti-Trust Bill and it's going to be passed. Almost tapos na ang interpellation. Ngayon yung royalty to reduce power, it's going to be submitted for debate on the floor to reduce power cost. Hopefully, if we can pass that law we might be able to reduce power cost by of P1 per kilowatt/hour for certain sectors of the power users in the country, especially industries and the householders with certain level of power consumption.

Q: Sir, until now wala daw budget para sa mga bagong partylist representatives sa House kasi wala naman dun sa 2009...

SP: They can pass a supplemental budget, to cover the cost until June of 2010.

Q: Sir, may sinabi si Senator Villar na parang tailor-made daw yung Rules just for him.

SP: Hindi, no. That applies to everybody. It's not only for Senator Manny Villar. That impression is not correct. The Rules were not tailored-made for Senator Manny Villar. I will not agree to that. I, myself, will be against it. This Rule will apply to everybody, including me, if I commit any unethical conduct.

Q: What do you think of Col. Querubin running for Senate?

SP: Everybody is entitled to run for the Senate. We welcome them. As long as they have the qualifications. And what's the qualification of a Senator? He must be 35 years of age, natural born, can read and write, and a registered voter.

Q: Makakaupo ba po siya sa Senate?

SP: Well, that's another issue.

Q: Sir, hindi pa po ba tapos ang kaso?

SP: Hindi pa tapos.

Q: Sir, ano po masasabi niyo sa sinabi ni Senator Joker Arroyo, na offenses committed before elected to the Senate will be charged against the Senator?

SP: No, that's not true. That's not correct. Offenses that are committed a long time ago before oath-taking will not be used against any erring Senators. But they can raise that as defense for Senator Manny Villar. That's a legal defense that they can raise and let the court decide whether the acts that he committed, if he did commit anything during his first six years as a Senator, would be a subject of ethics investigation after he was elected in 2007 election. That is a valid defense that they can raise. That is not something that the ethics committee can decide. We assume jurisdiction. Let the courts make the ruling, if it will reach the court.

Q: That is why Senator Villar is saying na pwede na rin buksan ang Kuratong Baleleng Case?

SP: Hindi niya mabubuksan yun. The ethics committee cannot go after the Kuratong Baleleng Case. Kung nagkaron ako ng kasalanan when I was not a Senator during the interim between 2001 and 2004, that is beyond the ethics.

Q: Sir, sabi kasi dapat sa Ombudsman na lang o sa court na-file at hindi na dapat sa Senate?

SP: Kaya sinabi ko kahapon, an Ethics case involves the conduct, integrity, reputation, dignity of a Senator while in the office. If there is a charge against him of misbehavior as a Senator, and that is the nature of the charge filed against him, he must purge himself of that. And the only way to purge himself of that is for the ethics committee to conduct a hearing.

Q: Sir, si Manny Pacquiao appointed as Assistant to the Secretary of Justice on Intelligence Matter?

SP: Well maybe he has the talent for it, in addition to his being a boxer. I will presume he has the talent for it. With all the people adulating him, he could get information.

Q: So sir, Senator Manny Villar, has no choice but to face what is being charged against him?

SP: He has always a choice. He does not have to appear, if he does not want to appear.

Q: How can he purge himself of the charges if he does not want to appear?

SP: Well, he has to present the evidence to explain his side. An evidence that is not rebutted is dangerous.

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