Transcript of Ambush Interview with Senate President
Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III

On the National Security Council meeting

SPKP: Very successful, very productive and very long. Anong oras ba kami nagstart. I think we started at 3 o'clock, and then we ended at around past 8pm.

On key issues discussed

SPKP: I will just give you the topics, because before we left the President said na kung pwedeng wag nang ilabas sa room yung pinagusapan. The topics were West Philippine Sea, the roadmap to peace with the Mindanao secession and the CPP NPA NDF, and the war against drugs. Yun po ang mga topic.

SPKP: The atmosphere was serious but then the President has his way of lightening the atmosphere.

On the atmosphere between former Presidents Arroyo and Aquino

SPKP: I did not notice.

On the roadmap to peace with Mindanao and a possible revival of the BBL

SPKP: You better ask Secretary Dureza na lang kasi he knows the limits of what he can discuss publicly.

On the importance of the presence of the four presidents

SPKP: Inputs. Actually yung National Security Council meeting is for inputs. You don't make decisions there, hindi naman raise your right hand, those in favor of, hindi po ganun. Inputs po. Yung apat na former presidents, with their experience and the past inputs that they have accepted are obtained, so they have wisdom. Yun po. Free-flowing naman ang usapan. Very productive.

SPKP: Sana mas madalas pa nga na ganun. It's a consultative process being a democracy.

On whether there are directives to Congress as a whole on the legislative agenda

SPKP: Ganito yun. There were around seven senators present yata, if I am not mistaken. We will have to discuss kung ano yung napulot namin doon which needs legislative interventions. Sa ngayon I cannot say kung ano doon.

On the war on illegal drugs

SPKP: Report lang po yun, maraming mga charts dun, mga flowchart.

Q: Walang pinapa-change na approach ang administration?

SPKP: Substance na kasi yun so let that decision be reflected na lang whatever report the Executive gives out.