Transcript of the Majority Leader's interview at the Kapihan sa Senado

HOST: Welcome to the Kapihan sa Senado. Medyo ano ito buwenas tayo because Sen. Migz here is supposed to be in Baguio right now to meet typhoon Ramil but he changed his mind for the better. So, good morning sir.

SJMZ: Good morning Manong Jun and good morning to everyone. Actually iyong pagpunta ko sa Baguio hindi dahil sa NDCC iyon ha? To meet typhoon Ramil but more on the Northern Luzon Cooperative Congress na na-postponed po nila ginawa po nilang November 13 and 14. And I hope you know this spate of typhoons will already slowdown or hopefully not anymore enter the Philippine area of responsibility. And he's doing a terrible to the tourism of Baguio. Talagang ilang conventions na ang biro mo binawi doon. Itong national convention, itong Northern Luzon Convention was for 1,000 delegates so, nawalan na naman sila ng Ad Congress, nawalan din sila ng participation doon. So we're praying, we're hoping that Ramil will be the last of these typhoons.

HOST: Unfortunately as we speak according to PAGASA it's hovering. It's doing a Pepeng yata. Anyway sir, talked about conventions, I think my first question would be is kalian ba talaga ang party convention ng Lakas-KAMPI after that pakulo ni Erap last night?

SJMZ: Well birthday po ni Sec. Gabby Claudio kahapon and siya po iyong aming secretary-general. Ang sabi niya po sa amin ang planong national convention ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD ay November 12, sa susunod na buwan. Ang balak daw ay sa Cebu. It is tentatively set in Cebu depending on the situation after typhoon Ramil. If the damage to Northern Luzon is of course quite, how do you say not manageable it's actually the opposite ... if the damage was of course terrible to different areas of Northern Luzon then we may move it to Metro Manila. So that members of our delegations from Luzon can travel by land. They don't have to travel by air. It would be cheaper for them. And probably we can concentrate the national convention on the hope of being able to help and assist our kababayan sa Northern Luzon. But iyong idea is November 12 Manong Jun.

HOST: I'm just curious sir, would it be a repeat of the process of your national committee meeting where Gibo was already chosen? Or will there be new entries especially the choice of the vice president?

SJMZ: I think the choice for the vice president is still an open book. I think the choice for the presidential candidate has already been settled. Wala naman pong pinag-uusapan na iba para sa presidential candidate ng Lakas-Kampi kundi si Sec. Gilbert Teodoro. Iyong desisyon lang po sa vice president, iyan lang po ang paguusapan namin sa November 12. Ngayon may good news iyong Comelec naglabas na po ng en banc decision na ang Lakas-Kampi is already a valid political party. So iyong petition po ni former Speaker Jose De Venecia was thrown out. So that's good news. Kasi iyong initial na inilabas na balita na okay na po iyan was already in the division ngayon en banc na po. It was already decided by all the commissioners of the Comelec. So that's a welcome development for our party, we can move forward and consolidates.

HOST: Sir iyong tinatanong ko kung repeat nung what happened during the national committee where you even had a close door voting on Sec. Gibo. Itong convention na ito will this just be an acclamation na lang o will still there be some nominations?

SJMZ: Well not only ... definitely it will be an acclamation for Sec. Gibo. There probably will be some nominations for positions of vice president, and positions for senators. Papag-usapan po natin iyong senatorial positions doon. Hopefully meron na po tayong mga senatoriables by that time kasi siyempre sa lahat ng national convention. Naalala ko po iyong national convention namin noon last years so 2007 may mga kandidato na po. Nag-announced na po sila ng mga candidates for the national convention so we're hoping and praying. To be honest with you my friends, mga kapatid, I have not been very active. Hindi po ako masyadong aktibo sa ating mga political affairs ng partido dahil noong in-assume ko po iyong majority floor leadership dito sa senado nakiusap po ako sa aking mga kasamahan sa partido. Kung puwede lay-low muna ako, siyempre susuportahan po natin iyong kandidatura ng ating mga kapartido dahil ako ay partilista pero pagdating sa mga day-to-day decisions hindi na muna ako nakialam. Dahil mahirap kasi bilang majority floor leader ako po iyong referee. Ako po iyong parang kuya ano, big brother ng ating mga kasamahan sa majority. At alam mo ang dami-dami sa ating mga kasahan ang tatakbong presidente. Nandiyan po si Noynoy Aquino kasamahan po natin iyan sa majority. Nandiyan po si Sen. Mar Roxas, Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Richard Gordon, sino pang tatakbo? Si Sen. Chiz Escudero kasama din po natin sa majority iyan. So kaya hindi po ako masyadong active sa political scenery ng Lakas-Kampi. I want to remain also as the, how do you say a fair majority floor leader to all my colleagues.

HOST: Sir tinanong ko iyong parte ng acclamation if I may go back to that. That doesn't mean na hindi na magko-contest si Bayani Fernando?

SJMZ: He may. He may contest but what had happened in the national directorate is a show of support to Sec. Gilbert Teodoro. He may contest. It's a free democracy. It's a democracy. It's a free world but of course he may not be able to get the outcome that he would want.

HOST: And Ebdane is not a part of this new ...?

SJMZ: Si Sec. Ebdane po hindi po namin kasama sa partido. Never po siyang nag-take oat under Lakas or Kampi. He's a free spirit and you know we welcome him also to the political fray. He adds political color to this whole political exercise.

HOST: Last question muna dito outside of politics naman. When you resume session Nov. 9 until your Christmas break, do you see the budget being passed?

SJMZ: Yes absolutely. Alam mo priority po namin iyong pagpasa ng budget. Ito po iyong timeline natin ... sa Nov. 9 to 20 hihintayin po namin dumating sa atin dito ang transmission ng Budget Appropriations Act which is basically the book. Iyong libro mismo dahil ini-imprenta pa yan. Dahil medyo matagal mag-imprenta ng budget dahil napaka-kapal. So, kapag nai-deliver na po iyan dito sa atin between 9 and 20 we will already the discussions for plenary debate. Tapos na po iyong ating sub-committee level discussions, so plenary po iyong ating debate dito. Ang plano po natin ay by November 20, maumpisahan na po iyong plenary debates. Ang gusto po ni Sen. Angara matapos na po iyong plenary debates by Nov. 20 pagkatapos noon bicam tayo. May two weeks break tayo dahil magpa-file po ng mga kandidatura ang ating mga kasamahan that is between Nov. 20 to Nov. 30. We come back Dec. 1, ang gusto po ng Senate leadership ay by December1 to the second week of December which is our break more or less mga Dec. 17, Dec. 18 tapos na po ang ating national budget. In other words it is ratified. We approve it on third reading. We come out with the bicam report and approve the final version and ratified version before the break of Christmas. That is the best case scenario mga kapatid. The worst case scenario, matapos po natin ang third reading bago mag-Christmas break by Dec. 18 magkaka-bicam, pagbalik po natin ng second week of January ira-ratify po natin ang budget. So, we're looking at best case scenario December ratified budget, or pagnatagalan po iyong pag-deliver nitong printed copies of the budget, we're looking at January 2010 for the passage of our national budget.

HOST: When you say you're going to plenary debates sir, does it mean that you convert the Senate as a committee of the whole of finance committee?

SJMZ: Ang mangyayari po niya kapag umpisa po natin, let's say na-transmit na sa atin itong budget act o iyong printed copies ng approved version ng House of Representatives ang mangyayari po niyan, we will already convert the Senate as a Committee of the Whole to tackle the budget. It will ... we will suspend the rules and allow the members to of course ask questions to the committee chairman kasi iyong magpa-preside na po diyan iyong committee chairman which should be Sen. Ed Angara. So, iyan po ang magiging proseso. And we will tackle each department, each commission, one-by-one until we finish the budget. Obviously there will be some questions ask by members of the Senate on the appropriations. Marami po sa ating mga kasamahan gusto pong tanungin bakit po na-approve ng House of Representatives ang budget na iyon na walang realignments dito sa mga problema ng kalamidad. So iyan po ang gustong baguhan ni Sen. Angara, na gusto po niyang mangyari na ang ating bagong budget appropriations na P1.5 trillion for 2010 may provisions for calamities, for typhoons Ramil, Pepeng and other typhoons that will be hitting the country. In other words meron pong disaster risks reduction mitigation funds, meron rin po tayong rehabilitation funds na ilalagay doon. Dahil siyempre noong in-approve po itong 2010 budget ng DBM hindi pa tumatama ang Ondoy at Pepeng. So, in a way it's not responsive to the needs of our kababayans for 2010, kaya kami sa senado handa na busisiin muli itong budget at titignan natin kung saan tayo puwedeng maglagay ng pondo at madagdagan po ang kapabilidad ng ating bansa, ng ating gobyerno pagdating dito sa malalakas na bagyo. So, that's the important part.

HOST: Puwera pa iyon sa P12 billion na?

SJMZ: Puwera pa iyon because iyong P12 billion that is only an initial amount needed. Iyong total destruction brought by typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng and now Ramil will be up to P30 billion in agricultural losses, infrastructure losses. Loses in terms of lives, livelihood, napakalaki. So itong P12 billion parang one third lang po ito ng kailangan ng ating mga kababayan. Ang kailangan lang talaga at pumapayag naman iyong minority dito at members of the opposition bigyan natin ng tulong in terms of pondo ang ating mga ahensya pero lagyan po natin ng sapat na safeguards na hindi po gagamitin as an election budget, hindi po gagamitin ito as patronage budget dapat ito ay reactive and representative of the needs of the people especially in these areas na natamaan ng bagyo.

HOST: Okay start questions from the floor?

SJMZ: Maybe may I just also add, really quickly iyong gusto ko nga ipro-pose kay Sen. Angara at nagusap na kami na magkaroon ng mega-solution to mega-flooding. Hindi ko po alam kung natanggap ninyo iyong aking privilege speech. Ito ay binasa ko noong October 14, bago tayo mag-break. This is the creation of the mega-spillway, mega-floodway. Both ends of Paranaque ang proposal is both ends of Paranaque dahil ito po ay shortest distance from point A to point B, from Manila Bay Laguna Bay. Magkakaroon po, ang planong design nito noong panahon pa ni presidente Marcos isang 4-storey high na almost 40-ft floodway that will be able to drain Laguna De Bay into Manila Bay. Kasi alam mo noong isang araw pumunta po ako sa Sucat dahil may orphanage po kaming pinuntahan doon hanggang ngayon baha pa rin iyong subdivisions doon malapit sa Laguna De Bay. Ito po iyong mga areas malapit sa power plant. Nakikita niyo iyong power plant sa highway? All those areas napakagandang subdivisions po pero bahang-baha. Nakikita mo iyong problema na nararanasan ng ating mga kababayan doon. So the only way to do that is to drain Laguna De Bay, if not tuwing umulan June, July, August baha po diyan for six months, all around the coastal communities. So, ito po iyong aking itinutulak ngayon at noong sa LEDAC binanggit ko po ito kay presidente. And I was the only one who stood up and said we need to come out of an out of the box solution which is a mega-spillway. Kailangan po natin iyan kung hindi palagi po tayong magkaka-problema. Iyong sabi po nilang dredging Manong Jun, wala iyon e, band-aide solution iyon. Iyong dredging ng Pasig River, dredging ng tributaries wala po iyon. Wala pong mangyayari sa ating bansa kapag ganoon. Kailangan po natin ng npakalaking mega-spillway na ito kung saan mare-resulba po natin ang problema ng flooding dito sa Laguna De Bay and Metro Manila, as well. Also, if you have been to Los Angelos. Kapag nakaikot po kayo sa LA iyon po iyong nakikita natin na malalaking kanal na ginagamit nga sa pelikula iyan e, sa the Italian Job, iyong Terminator kung saan sila naghahabulan sa loob ng spillway that's a double purpose.

HOST: It serves as a highway during the dry season and as a spillway ... ?

SJMZ: Actually hindi po siya dinadaanan anytime of the season. It's only being utilized by films, movies lang ginagamit lang nila iyon. Iyong mga Fast and the Furious doon sila nagka-karera but actually iyan po ay para sa flooding. Fortunately for LA wala na po silang flooding kasi noong araw 1950's, 1960's uso sa kanila ang flooding dahil sa climate change ngayon they are now in the drought season. Uso sa kanila ngayon forest fires dahil sa init.

HOST: Pero itong Paranque spillway ang tagal na nito di ba?

SJMZ: If you read my speech this way part of the Metro Manila Transport Land Use and Development Planning Project, 32 years ago, Marcos time pa ito.

HOST: Wala kayang dadaanang mga subdivisons ito ng Camella, or ng ano?

SJMZ: Meron. Alam mo ang malaking gastos dito ay right of way. Sa tingin ko it's well worth it. Dahil unang-una gagastos ka ng P32 billion for dredging of tributaries. Iyong dredging wala po tayong magagawa . tuwing umuulang bababa at bababa po iyong putik galing sa Rizal, galing sa Sierra Madre, bakit? Dahil wala ng kahoy nagka-quarrying pa tayo doon. Nakita niyo iyong pinalabas dito ni Edgar Manda na aerial photos? Makikita mo na that it will always be muddy, so what is the solution? We must create a new arterial spillway. Para nga siyang nagha-heart attack. Iyong Laguna De Bay is like a heart, it is already clogged, it is already enlarge, ano ang kailangan natin? Bypass. Dapat talaga butasin ulit iyan at lalagyan ng exit kasi kung hindi itong mga dati niyang arteries wala na hindi na madadaanan ng tubig. Pasig River included. Wala na po tayong magagawa diyan sa Pasig.

HOST: Question Cely. Si Cely muna?

Q1: Reaction ng Lakas-Kampi now that former Pres. Joseph Estrada already declared his presidential bid?

SJMZ: Well Pres. Estrada is a formidable presidential candidate. Napaka-popular pa rin siya sa ating masa. Mahal na mahal pa rin siya ng ating masang Pilipino. Siya po ay idolo nila. So, mabigat din na kalaban si former Pres. Estrada. You should never look at him lightly. You should always treat him as a formidable opponent. I hope the planners of Lakas-Kampi iyong ating mga strategist doon tinitignan po nila iyon. Huwag po nilang babalewalain iyong posisyon. He is still a formidable opponent that is my personal opinion. I'm not speaking for Lakas-Kampi may statement si Sec. Ermita na iyogn Supreme Court pa ang magde-desisyon kung puwede siyang tumakbo o hindi. So, I don't want to comment if he can run or not kasi siyempre desisyon iyan ng Supreme Court. Iyong mga abogado nga hindi magkaisa kung puwede siyang tumakbo o hindi, so the final arbiter really will be the Supreme Court.

Q2: Threaten din kayo?

SJMZ: Absolutely he is a threat.

Q3: (not audible. No mic)

SJMZ: Hindi actually ang tinitignan po namin na budget diyan aabot ng P25 billion kasi iyong mahal diyan iyong right of way. That's about 40-ft deep, about 4-lanes wide, ang gagawin po nila medyo malalim kasi kung medyo hindi malalim siya, medyo graduated iyong pagbaba. Ang problema iyong baba baka tirahan na naman ng informal settlers iyan. Gagawin na naman nilang parang Manggahan Floodway. So, ang plano talagang dapat mababa kaagad, malalim. Wala naman sigurong magtatayo ng bahay doon sa ilalim suicide na iyon kasi siyempre pagbukas mo ng floodway, ng gates diyan parang river rapids iyan. But that's the only way to drain it. Parang when iyon drain a tub you just open the release valve labas ang tubig.

Q4: sir ano iyong chance .... (not audible)

SJMZ: The president after I had mentioned noong binanggit ko po sa LEDAC na kailangan po natin iyan nag-set po ng meeting si presidente kay Architect Falafox para i-briefing iyong Cabinet on the necessity of this mega-spillway. So sa tingin ko matutuloy na ito. Ang problema hindi na itong administration na ito ang mag-i-implement niyan. I believe it will be the next administration. And I feel that the next administration should know this. All the presidential candidates dapat alam po nila itong plano for Metro Manila dahil ano pong maisasagot nila dito sa flooding na nangyayari dito ngayon sa Sta. Rosa, sa San Pablo, San Pedro, at Los Banos, sa Rizal Province, dito sa Paranaque, sa Pasig. Hanggang ngayon biro mo ang Pasig nakalubog pa rin sa tubig. Well lubog pa rin sa tubig hindi parang lubog pa rin sa tubig ang halos one third of Pasig.

Q5: Sir tungkol po ito kay Erap. Hindi kaya solusyon lang ng Lakas iyong ... para palakasin iyong moralidad niya para mahati ang oposisyon?

SJMZ: Well ako personal opinion ko naman iyon. Kahapon lumabas iyong administration spokesmen na sinasabi na hindi siya makakatakbo. So kung tatanungin mo iyong administration spokespersons sasabihin talaga nila ayaw nila patakbuhin si President Estrada. Ako, my personal opinion he is a valid and strong candidate, however, kailangan muna niyang ipanalo sa Supreme Court kung may magpa-file ng disqualification case sa kanya. But while the Supreme Court has not decided he is a viable strong candidate.

Q6: (not audible)

SJMZ: Alam baka hindi pa sa administration ang magpa-file e, sa tingin ko baka ibang malalakas na partido. I mean who has the most to lose out of former Estrada's running for president, of course the opposition parties. That's the Liberals, the NP's, the NPC dahil iyong bata ... alam mo iyong boto ni Presidente Estrada hindi naman convertible sa amin iyon. Galit sa administration iyong mga boboto sa kanya, iyong mga supporters niya. So that's not convertible to us. It's probably not us who will file. It will not be from the administration na magpa-file ng disqualification case.

HOST: Mga do gooders like Harry Roque di ba? May mga type na ganoon di ba?

Q7: (not audible)

SJMZ: No Puno has made himself available pero iyong discussions po namin doon sa national directorate ibigay po natin iyong araw kay Sec. Gilbert Teodoro. Hindi ba pag-declare po ni Noynoy Aquino tumahimik lang si Sen. Mar Roxas di ba? Kasi sabi ni Sen. Mar Roxas hindi na muna ako magsasalita, itong araw na ito para kay Noynoy Aquino. So ganoon din ang nangyari sa national directorate. Hindi na nagsalita si Sec. Puno dahil siyempre iyong araw na iyon ay para kay Gilbert Teodoro. Anything yet can happen, but he is making himself available pero may mga moves within the party na you know meron silang itinatapon na pangalan na si Vilma Santos, Governor Vilma Santos. And then recently ito governors po ito itinutulak po nila si Loren Legarda. But Loren had come out with the statement, today sinabi niya hindi daw siya papayag sumama sa administration. I think its a good indicator para kay Ma'am Loren na gusto siya ng aming mga kasamahan. So, at least the very least it should be an honor for her. She's being eyed by many governors, and many mayors and many congressmen as perfect tandem with Gibo iyon nga lang may prinsipyo si Ma'am Loren na ayaw niyang sumama sa administration coalition.

Q8: So walang paguusap na talang nililigawan ng Lakas si Loren?

SJMZ: Wala po akong nalalaman. Katulad ng sinabi ko boss medyo lay-low ako sa politika ngayon sa Lakas-Kampi.

HOST: Matanong lang kita, do you read of rumors also that Ronnie himself is not so keen on running anymore because of the formidable opponents, his opponents in the vice presidential race? Take Mar and Loren if he runs for VP and whoever?

SJMZ: Wala pa akong naririnig na ganoon boss Jun. I have not heard of any of those comments.

Q9: (not audible)

SJMZ: All the names that I know alam niyo rin po kasi binabasa ko rin sa newspaper.

Q10: Iyong Zubiri?

SJMZ: I have no plans. I have no visions of grandeur or illusions of grandeur. Ako po ay natutuwa lang magsilbi dito sa inyo at sa bayan.

HOST: May question nga pala ako which is close to you. If Koko Pimentel runs in the Erap ticket, papaano iyon? You ano hands down tapos na iyong protest niya against you?

SJMZ: Well, I'm not supposed to be talking about our protest kasi na-warning-an na naman kami ng Senate Electoral Tribunal.

HOST: Pero legal iyon, if he runs, he forfeits hindi ba ganoon?

SJMZ: Well technically yes. If you run, you file that means it's an abandonment of your case but I'm not a lawyer so I don't want to give a decision on finality on that siyempre puwede pang ma-question iyon. Iyon lang masasabi ko. Wala akong masasabing iba.

Q11: Will you ask him to run again as a senator in 2010?

SJMZ: I cannot ma-subjudice ako. Hindi ako puwedeng kumibo dahil kung kumibo pa ako mpagalitan pa ako ng both sides.

HOST: Because you I supposed you saw the televised Erap proclamation last night. Koko was introduced as he is still mulling it over because he got his pending protest. Ganoon ang pagkasabi hindi ba?

SJMZ: Ako naman mga kapatid I take everything with a grain of salt and at the same time I take everything seriously. When I say grain of salt kapag sinabi na may kaso pa na siya na daw ang panalo tahimik lang ako dahil alam natin sa Senate Electoral Tribunal matagal na proseso pa iyon. Ang binabanggit nilang tapos na iyong aking 25 percent, meron pang 75 percent iyon na naiiwan. There are still 53,000 precincts still waiting to be canvassed and I know the impartiality and fairness of the SET. They will not let me abandon my protest easily. Ang akin lang naman diyan is whoever wants to run then they are welcome to do so lalong-lalo na siya ay taga-Mindanao. If he decides to run, we in Mindanao will support him. And I've said this many times. I've been in Mindanao several times for meetings with leaders there tinatanong nila ako kung may tumakbo, kung tumakbo ba siya tulungan natin? Sabi ko tutulungan natin taga-Mindanao iyon. Kaibigan ko iyong tatay dito. And in fairness to the father, we have a record breaking performance. Mga kapatid gusto ko lang pong ilabas itong statement ko. We have passed more bills into law since the 12th and 13th Congress. Hindi sa pagyayabang, I'm just showing you the facts. Ang dami-dami po nating naipasa na national application and local application. Kasama na po diyan iyong kanyang tatay, Senate Minority Floor Leader Nene Pimentel was very, very cooperative. Kaya nagpapasalamat po ako sa kanila kasi in spite of our personal differences nangibabaw iyong interes ng ating mga kababayan.

Q12: (not audible)

SJMZ: Ang balita po sa amin ay magre-resign po si Sec. Teodoro before the national convention. So, if the national convention is planned for Nov. 12, he should be resigning probably by the first week of November. Hindi lang po niya mapabayaan iyong kanyang katungkulan bilang NDCC head. Siya po ay nandoon ngayon sa Northern Luzon dahil gusto po

niyang makita all the damages that typhoon Ramil will be bringing to Northern Luzon. Pagkatapos ni typhoon Ramil ay ira-wrap niya ang trabaho niya sa NDCC at secretary of National Defense.

Q13: ... senatoriables?

SJMZ: Ang alam ko lang si Bong Revilla. Si Bong ang kawawa kasi si Bong gumagawa ng pelikula hindi pa pala niya puwedeng ipalabas iyon ng December, pati si Erap. That's the Comelec warning already once they filed they candidacies they cannot show their movies.

HOST: Si Miriam ba is under admin ticket?

SJMZ: No Miriam is part of admin ticket. Well you know this election there maybe a phenomenon. And the phenomenon is the guest candidates. I know Sen. Bong is the guest candidate of NPC, will be the guest candidate of NP and of course the official candidate of Lakas-Kampi. Suwerte siya tatlong partido ang magdadala sa kanya. I think this will be a unique situation pati si Sen. Miriam will be a guest candidate of Lakas-Kampi as well as candidate of Pres. Estrada.

HOST: Give us an idea as to who will be running for the Senate from the Cabinet?

SJMZ: Just before I forget Senate President Enrile also were mulling the idea that he also is our guest candidate. Because Sen. Enrile despite of him being a Partido ng Masang Pilipino has played a very, very vital role in several of the bills that we have approved in record breaking performance.

HOST: Sino sir sa cabinet? Sinong mga naluluha-luha sa senado?

SJMZ: Misty eyed ha. Alam ko po si Sec. Yap tatakbong Congressman sa Bohol, so hindi na po siya tatakbong senador. Si Sec. Duque hinihintay po niya iyong kanyang performance sa susunod na SWS surveys bago siya magdesisyon. Alam ko po, well binanggit ko kanina si Sen. Bong, Sen. Miriam, Senate President Enrile kasama natin. Well si Sec. Jesli Lapus and Sec. Ace Durano iniisip po nila kung tatakbo sila sa ating partido o sa NPC kasi sila po ay NPC. So kung matuloy po iyong kandidatura ni Sen. Chiz Escudero sa pagka-pangulo, I believe Sec. Jesli Lapus and Ace Durano would rather run with them in that ticket.

Q14: What about Mikey Arroyo kasama ba?

SJMZ: Wala naman silang binanggit na tatakbo si Mikey.

HOST: Hindi ba tayo magtatanim ng Pichay ngayon this election?

SJMZ: Kausap ko si Butch Pichay kahapon sabi niya hindi na daw siya interesado.

(MARF): Mabuti naman sir.

Q15: Parang nahihirapan ang ruling party na makabuo ng senatorial line up?

SJMZ: Hindi lang yata ang ruling party ang nahihirapan. I think all major political parties nahihirapan. I had a chance to talked to a very high ranking member of the NP pati sila they're having problems. NPC will have problems also. Alam mo ang problema kasi ng presidential elections, apat o limang partido ang tatakbo so kailangan nilang punuin ang 12-man slate nila. Sa pagpuno lamang walang problema ang problema mananalo ba? Iyan ang napakahalagang tanong. Itong limang that's 60 candidates of 12, so that's 60 candidates all in all. Noong last election ng 2007 hirap na hirap na nga iyong administration tsaka opposition na mag-field up ng 24 candidates ngayon pa.