AMBUSH INTERVIEW | BENHAM RISE | 2ND FLOOR PADILLA ROOM SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES

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Q: Sir, should we not suspect for the intention of the Chinese ---?

Sen Win: Well, they are exercising their freedom of navigation at nakita natin doon sa mapa na binigay ng National Security adviser sa atin.

Q: Sir, pero wala bang bridge of protocol? Though, there is a general invitation from the President? Hindi sila dumaan sa DFA tapos dapat kasama sa permit nag-paalam sila.

Sen Win: Kanina nga, we clarified from the DFA what are the process and the protocol at ito yong kailangang i-synchronize nila with the policy of the President. From that policy, emanates the process. That's why earlier, we also asked the National Security adviser kung ano yong mga mechanisms for cascading that policy all the way down to the last instrumentality of the government.

Q: Mukha bang nagkaroon ng pagkukulang? In this case kasi, hindi alam ng DFA na mayroon palang invite ang President? Iba-iba sila ng sinasabi.

Sen Win: Para sa akin, I think they need to synchronize their policy and their communication, yon yong pinaka-importante. Being the chief executive, our President has that mandate to create new policies or to continue policies. Ngayon, how do we cascade it down is the question? Kasi malaki ang byurukrasya. That's why kanina we were pressing the National Security adviser kung ano yong mga mechanisms and he elaborated naman na mayroon silang mechanism to do that.

Q: Sir, wala kang nakitang bridge of protocol sa nangyari?

Sen Win: Inconclusive, because I think, there is now an on-going discussion between China and our DFA regarding that note verbale na pinadala nila. Kanina, I was also trying to understand the reaction of China to this note verbale but hindi pa tapos ang kanilang discussion.

Q: Sir, hindi ba nahuhuli ang bansa dito? We were unprepared by this and then number two, we are also not capable of coordinating.

Sen Win: From what I gathered, talagang kulang tayo sa technology at kulang tayo sa kagamitan. Kanina, I also recommended the use of satellites para malaman natin hindi lang yong direksyon ng barko kundi kung ano ang ginagawa ng barko. Kanina rin, in commandant of our Coast Guard, we also recommended to use technology in order to know exactly kung ano ang mga ginagawa ng barko. Meron tayong technology para malaman kung nasaan ang barko, pero wala tayong technology para malaman kung ano ang ginagawa ng barko and these are the things that we need to improve.

Q: Sir, shouldn't we exercise caution kung kaninong countries tayo makiki-share ng research especially with countries na known for claiming territories unreasonably?

Sen Win: I think the law is very specific especially on clause na we can partner with any country when it comes to research and maritime research but wala namang limitations kung anong country. In fact, kanina rin, the academe recommended that we should partner with countries, which has equipment and technology. Magagaling tayo eh, we have the know-how, we have the knowledge, ang problema ay wala tayong equipment and this is where partnership comes in. I know for a fact at nabasa ko na ang Japan and Korea is also very interested in doing the maritime and scientific research because they have the equipment. So, wala namang prohibition for us to partner with anyone.

Q: Sir, sa particular case na ito, hindi ba yata disadvantage ang Philippines kasi ni wala tayong representative na kasama doon sa ship nila, which is the basis actually for denying before?

Sen Win: Actually, what we need to know right now is what the ship exactly did in that area and this is during the last portion of the hearing that we requested the DFA to provide us with a report and examples of what the ship did in that area - kung ano ang activity nila, kung ano yong mga samples na nakuha nila at kung saan iyong mga samples na yon - dapat ma-provide tayo. And I think this is part of the on-going discussions with the DFA and the Chinese Embassy.

Q: Sir, we thought na NSC and DFA, hindi pa din nila alam kung nag-research o hindi?

Sen Win: I think in particular, in definitive, hindi pa nila sigurado kung ano ang ginawa nong Chinese ship kasi pumasok sa NSC, lumabas sa NSC natin, so umiikot sya eh. We should also understand that maraming ships hindi lang China-American, Japanese also do the same. We have to understand exactly kung ano yong ginawa nila but in terms of freedom of navigation, that's provided under our clause.

Q: Sir, hindi lang sa Chinese ship ang inaalam natin kung ano ang ginawa, pati sa Japanese at American?

Sen Win: No. For this particular incident, it's the Chinese vessel.

Q: Sir, may next hearing po?

Sen Win: I will have to consult with Senator Angara.

Q: May ineexpect pa kayo na data?

Sen. Win: Apparently according to Prof. Jay, because he was monitoring the research development. This particular ship published in the website, May nakuha daw silang samples and research, ang tanong ay kung saan iyon? Is it in territory or outside the Philippines? Yun ang hindi clear, so that's why the DFA will have to request kung itong mga samples is from the Philippines.

Q: Application sa DFA yung Chinese vessel? Yun kasi yung sinasabi ni Esperon kanina na hindi naman binanggit sa hearing? Sen. Win: I think from my understanding they were allowed to come in the Philippines but they also have to go through specific process, now the policy and process needs to be synchronized. I was asking earlier kanina kung ano yung mechanisms natin kasi nga may policy nga tayo pero kung iba naman yung process sa baba edi wala din.

Q: Pero hindi po sila sumunod sa process? Yung pag-apply sa DFA?

Sen. Win: I think yun ang pinag-uusapan ng DFA ngayon. I was pressing the DFA to answer,but they said they have to come back to us and give us feedback.

Q: Sinasabi na, the President gave an invitation kaya daw pumunta yung China?

Sen. Win: The President is a policy maker--what he said was a policy, now to cascade it down and tweak the policy, nasa agencies na yan. However, clearly may gap, that's why I was asking about the mechanism to clear the gap to harmonize everything or else magkaka-confusion sa ibaba.

Q: 3 months sila andun, dapat daw may representation ang Pilipinas?

Sen. Win: That is what we need to clarify with DFA is that a freedom of navigation? Or research? Hindi natin alam from what we gathered. Personally I cannot conclude also na that was research. They gathered samples but we don't know it was gathered here in the Philippines.

Q: Reseach yun sir--

Sen. Win: According kay Prof. Jay hindi rin niya ma-conclude if research kasi lumabas eh, nakita ko sa map. Pumunta sa taas, tapos sa ibaba. That's why DFA is an important agency here, to clarify all of it.

Q: Sir, kailan ba lalabas yung results?

Sen. Win: Hindi klaro kung kailan ang time because they're still in discussion, but will pressure them to give us answers.

Q: Sir, issue pa ba yung Presidente lang ang nagbigay ng permit?

Sen. Win: Para sakin yung pagbibigay niya ng permit, or allowing other countries to do research is a policy of the President, and the President is the Chief architect of our foreign policy. Ibig sabihin, yun ang tingin niyang tama para sa ating foreign policy. We need to operationalize that, trabaho na ng ng agencies to implement it. So now the question is, ito yung gusto ng Presidente, how do we cascade it now. Sabi ni General Esperon meron naman daw silang mechanism to do it. But obviously, it needs a lot of improvement because there is a gap.

Q: Saan yung gap? Di ko makita eh

Sen. Win: it's in the bureaucracy-

Q: Gustong gamitin ito as an impeachable offense ng Presidente? Inviting foreigners, specifically China-

Sen. Win: Para sa akin, it's not an impeachable offense. This is clearly not because it's a policy. How can a policy be an impeachable offense? It's for research, it's for science, so I don't see anything wrong with that.

Q: Dapat may transparency sa policy?

Sen. Win: Yes, kailangan din yun, that's why mechanism is very important. You have to echo it to the people and operationalize it.

Q: So it means hindi gumana yung mechanism--

Sen. Win: Yun din ang sentiments ko, sabi ko nga, they really have to improve the mechanisms. There was a lot of confusion.

Q: Pero Sir, yung application? Meron ba talagang application? Ano ang pagkaintindi mo kanina, Sir?

Sen. Win: Ang pagkaintidi ko, in-allow ni Presidente pero hindi dumaan sa process. Ngayon yung application kasi if for marine science research, but we don't know if it's a marine science research or freedom of navigation ang ngayari.

For freedom of navigation, you don't need a permit, If it was a marine science research then you need a permit. itong dalawa lang naman eh, di natin alam kung ano sa dalawa yung ginawa nila.

Q: Yung 3 months, Sir? Does it say anything?

Sen. Win: I cannot say that, I'm not capable of concluding that, even Prof. Jay cannot conclude that and he's a marine science expert.

Q: Pero yung gathering? If ever research yun?

Sen. Win: Yun ang kailangan natin malaman, kung research at nasa Pilipinas yun, yun angmay problema tayo.

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