ENRILE TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW BEFORE PLENARY SESSION ON PACQUIAO AS PEACE NEGOTIATOR/PRESIDENT

Q: xxxxx

SP: Marami. Si Manny, si Lito Lapid, si Bongbong. Si Lito nagpunta sa US, si Manny nagpunta sa Taiwan yata. Si Bong, I think, went to the US.

Q. Pero babalik naman sila po agad?

SP: Oo, babalik naman sila kaagad

Q: Hindi kayo magkakaproblema...

SP: No. No. They'll be coming back. I think they will be back this week. There are travel orders that are limited.

Q: xxxxx

SP: Area of this national concern, constitutional law, security and so forth and so on. I am not belittling Pacquiao. He can be an adviser but to be a part of the panel seems to be a little difficult. You are putting a responsibility on the guy who has no sufficient emersion and knowledge about the problem. As far as the country is concerned, I cannot entrust the interest of the country to him. Maybe I can entrust my life to him as a body guard. I can trust him to gain good reputation for the country in the field of boxing but in the field of security, in the field of peace and war--You put a man who has no experience in these things. Even in politics, he is very new.

Q: It is not enough that he is idolized by...

SP: It is not enough that he is being idolized. I don't think the MILF will surrender simply because Pacquiao will tell them--'Hoy, I want you to surrender.'

Q: Pero taga-Mindanao din si Pacman...

SP: Kahit na. Kahit na congressman siya. Marami dito taga-Mindanao din. Iba 'yung punto de vista ng mga 'yun eh. Iba ang objective nila. They might admire him as a national hero in the field of boxing but when it comes to the problem of their movement, it's something else. I don't think they will barter it away.

Q: So 'yung Pacman for president, sir?

SP: Huwag naman. Let's not devalue the presidency. I'm not saying he's not qualified. Anybody is qualified to be president but I doubt whether he can really handle the job as the president of the country.

Q: 12 years pa naman 'yun from now puede pa siya mag-aral...

SP: Well, he'd better get a Socrates to--Sun Tzu, Socrates and others

Q: Bakit naman po si Socrates?

SP: Socrates because he must learn the meaning of life. Aristotle is a philosopher.

Q: Sir, mga elected hindi naman ganun, di ba? Bakit 'yung mga iba...

SP: Pag naging president 'yung tao, kayo ba gusto n'yo na mangyari 'yun sa bansa natin?

Q: Ready na po ba tayo sa boksingero na magiging president?

SP: Hindi ko alam. Anybody can become president but you are asking me about my standard for the presidency. I'm sorry to say that he will not measure.

ON BUS FRANCHISES

Q: Sa bus franchises, sir, can Congress do that?

SP: Not Congress. They do not have any franchise from Congress, sa Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board.

Q: Kasi sabi po ni MMDA Chairman Tolentino, plano nila ay tatanggalin lahat ng mga franchise.

SP: Eh, 'yung nagbigay, 'yung LTFRB.

Q: Sir, agree ba kayo doon sa take-over?

SP: Oo. It's in the Constitution. Dapat 'yun ginawa nila. Iwanan mo 'yung mga bus mo sa kayle. I will send the military drivers to run the buses and then deliver the money to the owner of the bus. Nangyari na yan sa amin 'noong panahon ng Martial Law. Nagkaroon ng jeepney and bus strikes sa atin. Paralyzed ang traffic. Alam mo ba ang traffic noon from Sta. Cruz to Los Banos and from Los Banos to Pateros.

Q: Mga sundalo po ang nag drive?

SP: We had to use the military to fix the traffic.

Q: Sa situation ngayon na ayaw nila sumunod sa number coding scheme?

SP: Wala pa 'yun Martial Law noon. This was in the first term of President Marcos or second term yata before Martial Law. Nangyari na 'yan. Ang ginamit namin ay sundalo, nag-drive ng military trucks and buses to transport people. Hindi naman 'yung goberyno ang sinasaktan nila diyan. And besides, they do not have a right to engage in the business of transportation, they are being licensed by government to do that.

Q: Sir, 'yun love bus ni Marcos?

SP: Oo, 'yun ginawa namin noon araw. May National Transportation Office noong araw. Love bus, sila ang dala ni Mrs. Marcos 'yun.

Q: So babalik na sa ganyang sistema?

SP: Hindi na kailangan. You take over all the buses, ano magagawa nila? Every public utility is subject to take over by the government when public interest is involved.