Press Release
December 7, 2009

Transcript of the Majority Leader's ambush interview

On joint session tomorrow

Q: Iyon bang voting jointly settled na iyon or ite-thresh out niyo pa sa meeting with the House leadership?

SJMZ: Mamayang gabi, we are going to thresh that out specifically on rules voting jointly. Maybe it would be it will be the senators to vote first and then the House of Representatives, but the numbers may still be the same. I mean it will be put together as one. We still have to decide that.

Q: Mag-isa lang kayong makikipag meeting sa House of Representatives?

SJMZ: Isa lang ako sa designated na group with Sen. Kiko, Sen. Gordon, Sen. Alan Cayetano and myself. And in the House of Representatives kasama po nila si Neptali "Boy" Gonzales, Art Defensor and I believe maybe Raul Del Mar. Iyan po ang din-designate nila.

Q: We were informed that a Senate Resolution is being circulated?

SJMZ: Yes. Meron tayong mga kasamahan na iyon po ang gusto nilang mangyari. Ilabas na po ang sentiment nila.

Q: That will be the sentiment of the joint session?

SJMZ: No. That will be presented in the joint session.

Q: Meron ng reso or plano pa lang sir?

SJMZ: Meron ng umiikot. Nakita ko kanina, nabasa ko kanina pero plano ko ilalabas ko na lang iyong boto ko sa plenary. You know as I said earlier, I'm not hiding from the fact that any form of Martial Law is not necessary. We've gone through a lot of rebellions before. We've done it through a State of Emergency. And just an active participation of our peace and order elements ...

Q: So pipirma ka pa doon sa reso or boboto na lang?

SJMZ: Hindi boboto na lang po ako sa floor.

Q: Sir sinong nag-author noon?

SJMZ: I believe Sen. Pangilinan. Umiikot na, nakita ko kanina.

Q: Pagboto bukas may explanation na?

SJMZ: Sana matapos na. Ang problema natin ay baka hindi po matapos iyon bukas. Baka ng dalawa, tatlong araw. Ang predicament naman natin dito ngayon ay meron po tayong budget hearing at mukhang maipit po iyong budget hearing temporarily to make way for this very important duty of both House of Congress to meet on the declaration of Martial Law.

Q: Nakikita niyo ba na maabuso iyong Martial Law?

SJMZ: Alam mo iyong suspension of writ of habeas corpus napakatindi noon. Iyong suspension of writ of habeas corpus basically curtails the rights of every individual not only of one clan but all the people of Maguindanao. So, diyan po ako natatakot. So, dapat nakuha natin iyong sense ng ating mga kasamahan at mga kapatid sa Maguindanao. Iyong mga inosente naman doon bakit naman sila napasama sa Martial rule. So that is our point that we'd like to bring about tomorrow during the joint session.

Q: Who will be likely called to explain at the joint session?

SJMZ: The DOJ, the DND, probably Executive Secretary Ermita will be asked to explain being the signatory of the proclamation.

Q: ???????

SJMZ: Nagusap na kami ni Speaker Nograles kaninang umaga at mamayang gabi maguusap kami ng kanyang designated team.

Q: Si Defensor iyon?

SJMZ: Art Defensor.

Q: Ang magiging proseso bukas sa joint session Malacanang muna ang magpe-present saka ang mga ...

SJMZ: Yes. The executive will present. We're going to structure it a way that during the agenda uunahin talaga to lay the predicate, at the same time to ask the question if there's a necessity for the Martial Rule in the province.

Q: Kailan ang schedule niyo doon ng investigation doon sa mga baril at sa mga bala na nakuha.

SJMZ: Sandali Flor ha. Kaya pasensiya na lang hindi ako nakakasagot ng mga tawag ninyo kagabi dahil kailangan ko talagang makuha ang consensus ng senado being a member of the leadership of the Senate kapag magsalita ako it may be construed that it's the Senate speaking. Hindi naman ako puwedeng magsalita ng ganoon without conferring with the Senate President. So, my apologies. Sandali lang may dear nagtatanong si Flor?

Q: Sir may natagpuan na armas, mga bala sa mga Ampatuan may investigation daw dito sa Senate?

SJMZ: Hindi ko alam. Hindi po ako familiar sa investigation of the Senate of that particular case. Ako personally, hayaan na lang natin iyong DOJ, iyong NBI, iyong mga kawani ng gobyerno na matapos ang kanilang cases, mga imbestigasyon at mga kasong ipa-file dito sa grupong ito. Siyempre pagpinatawag po natin sila dito sa Senado to explain made-delay iyong proceedings in the court of law. I suggest tapusin na muna natin iyan and maybe when the dust settles after a few weeks then we can invite. Kasi puwede naman nilang tanungin iyan sa budget hearing. Lahat ng kuryente ng gobyerno to explain their budget, so they can also ask these questions dito sa senado.

Q: Saka baka walang quorum

SJMZ: Oo nga ano.

Q: Baka magamit iyong Martial Law sa Chacha?

SJMZ: No. Absolutely not. We will set rules for the joint session but the agenda to be tackled is only the Martial Law Proclamation. Anyway, kung meron naman silang motion to move for Congress puwede namang mag-adjourn iyong Senate side.

Q: Any comment doon sa mga ballot boxes na nakuha daw sa Maguindanao?

SJMZ: I have no clue about all that.

Part II

SJMZ: Kasi after the DOE hearing is her budget, of the DOJ. Nag-request lang po siya na kung puwede ma-excuse po siya lahat naman ng kanyang undersecretaries ay nandiyan. That she be excused because she has to attend to the filing of cases, being that today is the last day of the three-day rule of arrest which means you can only detain an individual for three day and file the necessary cases so that they maybe continuously detain if not then they have to make releases. So today is the last day, so she requested that she be given an opportunity to leave.

Q: Hindi siya nag-explain?

SJMZ: Ah hindi naman anyway bukas she'll be on board tomorrow. She'll have to be on board tomorrow not at the budget, joint session. She's one of those who will be invited.

Q: Sir paano iyon 4p.m. iyon

SJMZ: using DND secretary, the DOJ, Executive Secreatry, probably the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and then the DILG.

Q: Sir iyong copy?

SJMZ: By tomorrow morning. Tomorrow may budget pa rin tayo bukas, 9a.m, and after the budget we will suspend at 2p.m. And we're trying to arrange that all senators be escorted. Magko-convoy na lang kami. Sama na kayo may bus naman tayo di ba?

Q: Sir tanggap niyo na talagang ...

SJMZ: All the legal luminaries of the Senate, iyong mga senators ... puwede kaming magwala doon, puwedeng mahimatay, puwedeng mag-walkout. It is a manifestation of your position.

Q: Jointly vote hindi niyo ....

SJMZ: Hindi nga e, kasi iyong mga legal luminaries ng Senate believe that its very clear in the Senate na that it's simple majority of Congress voting jointly.

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