COMMENT ON MOTION TO STRIKE

In the judiciary, when opposing counsel moves to strike off the record, and the judge grants the motion, the testimony will remain on the record. This procedure is followed, so that in case of appeal, the appellate court will be able to see from the record what the testimony was. Thus, striking off the records is nominal, because the testimony will stay.

If, after the Enrile personal attack against me, certain senators had moved to strike off the record, I would not have delivered my own response. Why are they proposing the motion only now? Do they mean that Enrile is allowed to insult me on a personal level, but I am prohibited from paying him back in his own coin? If any of these senators were insulted personally, would each one have consented to remain silent?

In any event, I reiterate that, although ill, I challenge Enrile to a public televised debate in U.P. on any topic connected with the present pork barrel scandal. There should be a U.P. professor as moderator. The specific topic should be drawn up by a panel of U.P. professors.

Self-defense is a basic human right, both in law and in morality.