TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
LP-NP-NPC coalition proclamation press briefing
Cayetano: This coalition is about the joining of ideas and principles, not individual personalities

Reporter: Why red?

Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano (ASC): During an election, you really are covered by the media. Now, because of technology, even those in the local setting already know you, more or less. But when you run and the people do not know you, that's hard.

My father's campaign manager told him before, "Rene, mag-red ka." Then he told us, "Bawal kayong lahat. Dahil yung naka-pula ay yung kandidato." So that's the evolution of this color red.

But when EDSA revolution adopted the color yellow, there was a change as to why colors are chosen. Then the followers also adapted by wearing the color of their parties.

Reporter: Start na po ng filing ng candidacy at makakasama ninyo si former Senator Jamby Madrigal. Nagkaroon kayo ng pagatatalo dati. Ano ang pakiramdam ninyo ngayon?

ASC: Yun talaga nag challenge ng coalition, yung compromise. Pagka masyadong maliit ang binigay mo sa compromise, hindi matutuloy yung coalition. Pag masayadong malaki naman ang binigay mo sa compromise, magagalit ang iyong partido.

Ang nangyari sa coalition ay we stuck with the compromise that the Liberals choose their own candidates and the Nacionalistas choose their own. So out of the 12, 3 came from Nacionalista. That is part of the setup.

Kunwari ako, di ko naman tinatago na si Joel Villanueva para kong kapatid at gusto ko sana siyang makasama kaso hindi ko call yun. Meaning that's what we have to live with in the coalition. I know the others in the coalition also have something to say about us 3 Nacionalistas. But this is precisely why you have a coalition.

For me, less importance should be placed on personalities because that will be Trapo Politics - coalescing just to clinch a win. A coalition should not be a simple convenient vehicle for election officials. A coalition should be a joining of ideas and principles.

Ngayon ang signing, yung declaration of principles and why the coalition joined together. But what's more important is what we can do for the country in the next 3 years. Remember, the Liberal Party is the administration party.

Anyone who seeks power wants to implement their own programs, reforms and changes. We realized in the Nacionalista Party that we can be pure fiscalizers or we can be partial fiscalizers and partially join in making policies and implementing programs.

When the Liberal Party accepted us, that's what we had to deal with. Do we like everyone in the administration? We like some better than others but it's not up to us to choose the other 9 candidates. As far as we're concerned, we were given free reign to choose for our own party. We would have wanted 4, but in the end since there were a lot who wanted to run, we chose 3.

Reporter: Doesn't that mean compromising your principles with Jamby Madrigal joining people from Sen. Villar's party?

ASC: I don't think the principle is what we compromised. We've always said we believe in good governance, we always answered all of the issues. The coalition is between parties and she just joined the Liberal Party.

What I meant with compromise is that they didn't interfere with our choice of candidates and we, in turn, did not interfere with who they chose for the their slots. That's what I meant with compromise.

In so far as principles and our stand on certain issues are concerned, there will be no change. In fact, the Presidential Spokesman Lacierda has already made statements about Senator Villar and about the issues that happened in the past.

This was satisfactorily accepted by the Nacionalista Party and Senator Villar.

Reporter: Sir, diba parang ang hirap naman na kasama sa pangangampanya ninyo si Jamby Madrigal?

ASC: That's always the nature of the coalition. When you join a coalition, there's always compromise. Look at peace talks. For example, in Israel when you negotiate, those who negotiate for the side of the Jews are sometimes viewed as traitors on the side of the Jewish people. Those who negotiate for the Muslims are sometimes looked at as having turned their backs on some Islamic principles.

So any coalition is really very tricky to get into. In this case, it is doubly hard because of the local candidates. For example, in Cavite both campaigns have already kicked off between the Remulla,Revilla Maliksi and Lacson factions. One is solid Liberal, one is solid Nacionalista. But if you ask most of the Nacionalistas and most of the Liberals, they're all friends. We just have to accept the reality that in an election, you need to choose.

Now, can you force the members of the coalition to campaign harder for one? No. Because that's individual choice. Pero siguro ang pinaka-basic diyan, huwag na lang magsiraan dahil nasa coalition kayo.

It's the same thing in the Senate. The Senate President is Juan Ponce Enrile. Not everyone in the coalition agrees with what he's doing point by point. But in any point in time, a majority supports him. That's the nature of democracy in the Senate. Ibig sabihin, kahit sino ang maging Senate President, hindi naman 100% tama siya palagi o mag-a-agree kami palagi. Kapag may coalition kayo, give and take kayo.

Noong dumating ang time na hindi kaya ni Sen. Trillanes 'yung give and take, o noong pakiramdam niya binu-bully siya, umalis siya sa coalition. Ganoon din ang mangyayari dito. If we think na fair at maganda ang samahan sa coalition, it will continue even after the elections.

What's important to me is not just convenience for election, but also in the common programs after the election. That's why we had to discuss the priority bills, measures, and what we want to do for the country. That's more important than simply saying na sa sample ballot, magkakasama tayong labing-dalawa.

Reporter: How do you feel campaigning besides Jamby?

ASC: Discomfort. May discomfort at the very least. But as I said, that's the nature of the coalition. We'll just have to make it more comfortable for each other. I think the first time that former Senator Roxas and Senator Villar were in the same room to for the show of hands, there was also discomfort. But right now, very strong ang kanilang friendship, very strong ang kanilang working relationship because they've been working on the coalition together. So I'm sure that if there are other personalities, may it be Sen. Jamby or other personalities na may discomfort before, we may be able to work on that as we see each other more often.

Reporter: Are you going to state that you will improve your relation?

ASC: Dalawa lang naman 'yan. Improve o lalong mag-deteriorate. I'm hoping its improvement and not deterioration.

Reporter: Aakyat po ba kayo ng stage?

ASC: When there are sensitive issues between people, and then you are together in a fight, it can get uncomfortable. For example, noong nag-anti-GMA ako, uncomfortable ako dahil galing naman ako kay GMA. But then kapag isang prinsipyo kasi ang pinagsamahan ninyo, naging ka-close ko pa din 'yung mga nag-anti-GMA.

In the same manner ngayon, kung pareho ang aming ipinaglalaban, wala dapat magiging problema. It's hypocrisy to say that at the very least, walang discomfort. But then it's part of accepting the coalition. Hindi naman pwedeng pabor sa'yo lahat ng coalition. If we wanted to campaign side by side the people we love only, then we should not have entered the coalition. Dapat labindalawang Nacionalista na lang. But even in that situation, even among partymates, minsan may banggaan pa din. So even if purong Liberal na labindalawa, o purong PDP na labindalawa, o purong Nacionalista, there's no guarantee na ganoon mo kasundo lahat.

Reporter: So hindi po ang coalition ang mahalaga dito kung hindi ang individual track record?

ASC: Ang importante dito ay ang common vision at ang prinsipyo. Ibig sabihin, huwag nating tingnan ang individual. 'Yung individual, kung kaya niya ang prinsipyo at vision ng party, at nangangako siya na kapag nanalo, iyon ang isusulong niya, it's up to the party naman to look at the track record. Kaya nasa Liberal na iyon kung ano ang track record ng ilalaban nila sa Nacionalista. Pero ang common na agreement namin, o ang pipirmahan namin mamaya, we all agree on it. Now, will the relationship grow and get better? Sana.