Press Release
August 11, 2009

Transcript of ambush interview with Senate President
Juan Ponce Enrile before session

Committee of the Whole

Q: Sir, would you call yung sa Landbank, Bangko Sentral...

SP: We will defer to the presentation of evidence by Sen. Jamby. She is the one preparing the evidence. The committee will not prepare the evidence. The evidence has to be prepared and presented by the complainant.

Q: Who decides the order in which witnesses are called?

SP: The order of presentation of witnesses will be decided by the lawyer of the complainant. What documents have to be presented, who the witnesses will be, will be decided by the complainant. The committee, if there is any need to clarify certain things, will call for the government officials who may have to clarify them. But until now, I have not seen any need for that.

Q: You said last time you're going to call Central Bank officials because there are some evidence that Senator Villar sold the land, after it has already been bought by Central Bank.

SP: That will be a part of the presentation of Sen. Jamby Madrigal because that springs from the evidence that I suppose she will present.

Q: But if she will not call for these officials, doesn't it have any bearing at all on the validity of her documents?

SP: Then we do not have to go that far. We will have to see how things will be presented.

Q: Unless these statements and documents are rebutted, you will accept them as true?

SP: If they're material, relevant and responsive to the complaint presented and embraced within the service period of the respondent in the Senate then we will have to consider them unless they're rebutted.

GMA's dinner in New York

Q: Sir, taga-Malacañang daw yung nagbayad nung New York dinner?

SP: Hindi ko alam kung totoo 'yon o hindi. Mahirap mag-comment in limbo.

Q: But do you think that is excessive?

SP: Kaya nga sabi ko it depends. If it's only two, three or four persons - maybe. But if you have 100 persons, with the prices of food in New York, it is possible that's reasonable. It is also possible that it's unreasonable. You cannot tell.

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