Press Release
July 26, 2011

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERPELLATION OF SEN. DRILON
Drilon questioning Morato

DRILON: In the last hearing, you stated that because you were not a talent of PCSO, you can say anything and let me quote you 'except pornographic or anything of that sort, something indecent hindi po pupwede.' That was your statement, do you recall?

MORATO: Yes your honor.

D: It states your position that so long as you did not receive talent fees, you can say anything. Maggie dela Riva was a talent.

M: Yes.

D: Does that place her into trouble if she says something which constitutes electioneering?

M: I don't know your honor.

D: Just using your theory, your theory is that you can say anything including campaigning because you receive no talent fees and you were just a co-host and you confirmed that. Now, Maggie dela Riva was a talent and received talent fees. Does that put her into trouble for electioneering? Under your theory, since she received talent fee, she should not campaign?

M: I really don't know.

D: I'm just following the logic of your position. You're saying that Maggie dela Riva received talent fee so she should not campaign. Under your theory.

M: I did not say that your honor.

D: You said that you could say anything including campaigning for candidates because you were not a talent.

M: That's correct. I was not paid.

D: And therefore those who were paid and campaigned for certain candidates incur a liability? That's the logical conclusion from your statement.

M: The issue refers only to about 2 months of that show out of the 7 years.

D: Regardless whether if it is only for 1 episode or several episodes is immaterial. I am just following your theory that since you had no talent fee, you incur no liability and therefore those who received talent fees incurred liability for campaigning.

M: Well your honor I just would like to...

D: Just answer my question.

M: The one who received the talent fee must also be liable.

D: That's correct. That's the logic of your statement.

M: No, no sir. She is not liable because she is not a public official. Maggie dela Riva was just a talent.

D: So now you have a new qualification, she must be a public official.

M: That's what you said your honor...

D: I will not insist on that. First, you were part of the board that approved the request of IBC-13 for financial assistance in its programs and programming for P5 million. Do you recall that?

M: That does not pertain to Dial M.

D: Are you sure?

M: I don't recall.

D: Because you're under oath so you better be careful. Can I put on the screen Resolution 2106 Series of 2009, for the record, let me read.

"Whereas, the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. requested for financial assistance to support its programs; "Resolved that the board of directors of PCSO approve, as it hereby approves the sponsorship of Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. for the following programs: IBC Express Balita, IBC News Tonite, and Autovote 2010, in the total amount of P5 million, charged to the PR and Publicity Fund, subject to the submission of necessary documentary requirements and media values, provided that PCSO would be allowed to air replays of the show "Dial M" and other shows that PCSO may wish to run under the said channel, subject also to the availability of funds and applicable accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations."

Were you part of the board that approved this?

M: I believe so your honor.

D: Just answer the question. In fact your signature appears here.

M: That's correct.

D: As a consequence of that, funding for Dial M from 2005-June 30, 2010 amounted to approximately P27.2 million as follows:

2010--P5.1 million

2009--P3.4 million

2008--P5.5 million

2007--P5 million

2006--P4.8 million

2005--P3.4 million

Now I will show to you portions of your program during the campaign period to show to you what statements you made in the course of this program on Channel 13.

(Video aired on May 5, 2010 being played)

Morato speaking in his program: "Sana makisama ang ating mga Gibo supporters at ipakita natin ang lakas natin sa kandidatura ni Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro... Sumabak pa itong si Chiz Escudero ang lamya pang magsalita. Pacute na naman. Just recall the background of your father, Chiz, si Sonny Escudero na kaibigan ko, a Marcos crony. Marami pa namang nakakaalala ng mga panahon na iyon kaya medyo, wag kayong magpasikat. Be yourself. Be humble. Eh because hindi na maganda itong pasikatan na ginagawa nyo. Sino ba kayo a few years back? Wala naman e. Ngayon na lang kayo nag uumpisang magpasikat. Hindi kayo dapat magpasikat. You people do not impress us. Kapareho dun sa forum ng mga senatoriables sa ANC. Nagsalita na naman si TG something... Guingona. My God, kasinungalingan ng taong yun talaga. Yun nama'y hindi ko iboboto ano. Pero ibig sabihin ko, how can he lie? How can that guy lie? Just because he belongs to that party? I mean, talaga namang sinungaling iyon eh. Yung si Guingona na yan e. Naku Diyos ko. Ang dami nating hindi dapat iboto diyan sa kuwan na yan. Masyado silang mga kuwan, ano, conceited people. We should not sit them in the Senate. Magbibigay po tayo ng mga example na pwede niyong pagpilian. Mga tao na at least naman... who have humility at saka edukado. Hindi yung pasigaw sigaw na yan. Nakita ninyo iyang pasigaw sigaw na iyan. Noong impeachment ni Presidente Gloria sa Congress. Si Chiz Escudero, nagtatapon like a drug addict ng mga papeles doon sa kuwan, sa Kongreso. Tama ba iyan? Sino ba ang ginagaya niyo? I mean, walang kaedu-edukasyon ang mga taong ito. They have no breeding. Ito ang senatorial line up nina Gibo at Edu: Silvestre "Bebot" Bello, Ramon Guico, Raul Lambino, Rey Langit, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla. Yes magbibigay po kami ng not necessarily yung aming pinili na pero yung pagpipilian niyo. Meron po tayong idadagdag. Natural, ito iboto natin at saka wag nating kakalimutan si Edu. Ngayon, wag ninyong kalimutan itong otso: this is for Gibo sa kuwan, sa balota. Otso ha." (end of video)

D: I just put this for the record because we are here trying to show the extent of the abuses committed on the PCSO fund. You were campaigning, you wore the ribbon of Gibo, so did Maggie dela Riva has the ribbon of Gibo. I do not know what else you would call that. If you do not call that campaigning, I don't know what else it is. And yet you were part of the board that approved P5 million for IBC from PCSO funds to replay this Dial M from Channel 4 to Channel 13. I do not know what got into your head to disregard all election laws. Let me tell you that under the Omnibus Election Code, Section 261-O, an election offense is defined as the use of public funds, equipment, facilities owned or controlled by the government for an election campaign. And this is out and out election campaign. You were using public funds. This, under the Omnibus Election Code, a partisan political activity means making speeches, announcements or commentaries, holding interviews for or against any candidate for public office and this is punishable by imprisonment by not less than 1 year to not more than 6 years. In disregard of these laws, you campaigned for the candidates of the administration. This is the kind of abuse of the funds of PCSO that we now see and it is up to this committee, in looking at the charter again of the PCSO, to be able to place there provisions which... I do not know if we still need laws in order to punish this kind of gross violation of our election laws.

M: From what I understood, that P5 million was going for commercials. Yung Dial M namin ni Maggie, meron pong apat na commercials ang PCSO dun. That was part of the assistance to Channel 13. My only indiscretion ay sa board resolution, I should not have signed that. At hindi naman po dahil sa Dial M... yung commercials ng PCSO na nasa loob ng Dial M. yung publicity dun ang binabayaran nila.

D: A condition for the support of that commercial is the condition that "Provided that the PCSO would be allowed to air replays of the show Dial M." That's what the board resolution says and that's a replay of Dial M. The condition of the grant, even assuming you're correct, is that Dial M should be replayed in Channel 13. And you signed that board resolution.

M: That's my mistake there... Dapat po hindi ako pumirma doon. Pero pasado pa rin po kasi majority rules e.

D: The fact is that you participated in that decision to pay Channel 13 P5 million and condition of that payment is that Dial M will be replayed on that channel. You and your co-host openly campaigned for candidates in gross violation of the Omnibus Election Code and even wore stickers of Gibo... you and your co-cost. And even from your own theory, your co-host, being a talent, being paid, is really in deeper trouble because under your theory, you exculpate yourself from liability because you have no talent fee, which I don't agree. That's in fact electioneering. That makes your co-host even in a deeper trouble because under your own theory, she should be liable. Mr. Chairman, I think this is something that we must correct through these hearings and the exposition of this kind of abusive practices in the past must be stopped and to put fear in the hands of the present board that they should not repeat this kind of abuse because it will come to light one day in your life, as it is coming to light now.

JPE: Mr. Morato, are you not going to claim your right to remain silent so that you'll not incriminate yourself?

M: Yes your honor. I invoke my right against self incrimination.

D: It's most difficult for Mr. Morato to remain silent. It's one of the most difficult qualities that Mr. Morato...

M: I invoke (my right) to remain silent.

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