Transcript of ambush interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

ON GMA RUNNING FOR CONGRESS

Q: Sir, si FVR po is asking for the resignation of the President.

SP No, I don't think we should deprive the country of a President. There are successors but anim na buwan na lang. Pabayaan na natin. Let the Supreme Court decide the issue. The position of the President wishing to run for Congress. As a lawyer, I have also my own doubts because this will create a lot of problems. I think it's good that the President, in a sense, has done what she did running for that position, so that this matter will go to the Supreme Court for final determination, because that is the system we have. I think in a situation where the President in 2010 will run for the Senate in 2013, and then when his term ends in 2016, then she can go to the Senate and serve even only for three years. Because if the incumbent President can run for Congress, it is possible for the next President to run for the Senate, preparatory to his exiting in 2016. These are the legal conundrums that are cropping up. I think that it is precisely because of these possibilities that the Constitution said that the President is not qualified to run for any reelection. Meaning, any election or any elective office after service of the term of President. And although these are mere opinions being dished around, and there are contrary opinions, what I am pointing out is, it is good that this matter will be brought to the Supreme Court for final resolution. After all, the only one that can decide this is the Supreme Court and this will also be a part of the discussion on the claim that an ousted President like President Estrada cannot run for a term even if he did not complete his term as President. This posits a lot of Constitutional issues and I think instead of asking the President to resign, we should be a little bit more considerate because she is raising these Constitutional issues which will be for the benefit of the country to be resolved by the Supreme Court. This will be hanging over our heads for a long period of time unless this issue is finally decided by the Supreme Court. This is one reason why our Constitution ought to be revisited. There are so many doubtful provisions that were imbedded in it. Hindi ko pinipintasan yung mga gumagawa ng Saligang batas natin, ano, sapagkat mas marurunong yun kaysa sakin. Kinikilalang mga expert sa Constitutional law yan, ako ay isang ordinaryong abogado lamang. Pero, maraming questions na lumalabas, dahil hindi very precise ang linguahe na ginamit nila sa Saligang batas.

Q: Sir, it is not anticipated then na yung Presidente may be interested in running for a lower position?

SP Kung tama yung argumento na ikaw yung presidente, nakaupo ka, pinagbabawal sa iyo na wag kang tumakbo muli bilang presidente sapagkat gagamitin mo yung kapangyarihan mo, eh yung argumento na yun ay magagamit din pagka ikaw ay uupo at tumatakbo ka na bise-presidente, o tumatakbo kang bilang senador, o nakaupo ka at tumatakbo ka bilang congressman, o tumatakbo ka bilang gobernador o city mayor. Kung yan ay mapapayagan, yung susunod na presidente, pwedeng bago bumitaw, tumakbo din na mayor ng Quezon City, mayor ng Manila, mayor ng Makati, mayor ng Taguig, mayor ng mga mayayamang lungsod. Palagay ko yan ang dahilan kung bakit sinabi dun sa Saligang batas na the president, yung nakaupong presidente, ay hindi maaring tumakbo for any election, any reelection, meaning, another election or the same elective office.

Q: Sir, so the president need not resign?

SP Hindi. Yung sinasabi ko sa Constitution, ay kailangan magresign.

Q: Pero yung call sir, is for delikadesa?

SP When you talk of delikadesa, propriety, that is not in the law. That is addressed to the person involved.

Q: Sir, while she's running, ang concern din po, yung government funds.

SP Alam mo, yung sinasabi na you are demeaning the position if you run for a lower position, every position in government is a source of honor. Si Quincy Adams, naging presidente ng Amerika. Nung natapos siya ay tumakbo na member of Congress in the United States. Bakit dito sa Pilipinas eh ikahihiya natin? Nakakahiya ba yung tatakbo, kung ika'y gustong magserbisyo sa mga kababayan mo sa iyong distrito para matulungan nyo sila? Pag sa aking paningin, hindi naman. Kung tumakbo ba siya senator, masama ba yun? Kung tumakbo siya na vice president, masama ba yun, is that demeaning the position of the president?

Q: Sir, at this time po ba walang nalalabag?

SP Sa aking paningin, wala. Pero yun nga, walang batas na linalabag. Ang question diyan, is the question of interpretation of the Constitution. Siya ba ay qualified to run for any elective office, being the incumbent president because of the wordings of the Constitution? Kaya ang makakasagot lang diyan with finality ay ang Korte Suprema. Hindi ako, hindi sino man.

Q: May Supreme Court ruling sir, yung mga government officials need not resign daw kahit nagfile na ng COC?

SP Oo nga, dahil binago ng Comelec ang period of filing certificates of candidacy. Eh hindi naman nakalagay sa Saligang batas yung magreresign yung mga Cabinet members, yung mga tao sa gobyerno. Yang order na yan na magreresign yung mga nakaupo sa executive department na kung kakandidato sila lalo na mga Cabinet members, nakalagay sa batas yan. Election law. Pero binago nila ang filing because of automation. So siguro they should resign immediately when the election period is already on. If they are running for president, vice president or senator.

Q: Sir, paano madedefine kung ano yung kanilang actuations kung election related or trabaho nila as Cabinet member?

SP Eh lahat naman patas-patas eh. Lahat kami, whether you are a senator, whether you are an ordinary person, you can go out and tell the people "I am so and so and I am running for the Senate."

Q: Sir, do you think that the next president should revisit the Constitution na talaga? Dapat maging agenda niya dahil madaming flaws?

SP Hindi agenda ng presidente yun, dapat yan agenda ng buong bansa.

Q: So dapat yun na ang susunod?

SP Dapat yan magiging issue sa susunod na election. Kayo ba, gusto ninyo na dapat maging mahusay yung Saligang batas? Para mawala na lahat ng mga doubts na ito, yung mga alinlangan, mga issues na ito, para sa ganun ay medyo mabawasan ang mga source of discord sa ating bansa.