Press Release
March 15, 2007

KAPIHAN SA SENADO Excerpts
(Guests: Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano & Former Sec. Mike Defensor)

On the Philippines, topping the survey on corruption:

Mike: alam nyo ang hirap sabihin na we compare our country to the other countries, as the basis of the present situation of the administration. It is unfair to say this is the situation of corruption in our country, because I think the basis for comparison should be the past administrations, and the past assessments and ratings that we have seen of our country. If you read the report of the PERCang sinasabi nya dun that the same situation exists as in the past. And that the major factor, that the basis for that report is because of the non-conviction of Erap Estrada. That was the basis of the report, if you read, and I feel, I dont want to go into finger-pointing into blaming again one another, kasi ang hirap, the opposition will use that against us, when in fact the patriarch or the godfather of the opposition is no less than President Estrada, who is the major part of that report. I feel that the way to pursue the problem that we see today is really to put the system and the mechanism to prevent graft and corruption.

the problem of corruption is definitely existing, but we have to attack it by making the laws, remove discretion...and that secondly kailangan din natin, culturally to attack it, by way of course, yung mga pag-uusap na ginagawa.

my main point is, the report said hindi sya lumala, but no solid steps had been undertaken to fix this problem. The problem of corruption is not only the problem of today, but it has been the problem of the past, and I am sure, that with the present crop of leadership, not only in the Senate but in the House. The young people coming in and the older ones wanting to leave a legacy, I am sure, that slowly we can attack this problem systematically.

Alan: the problem is that GMA is in denial, rather than facing the problem, accepting the problem. She refuses to believe that there is a problem, and she always looks at the opposition to pin the blame, rather than looking at the mirror. Shes been president for 6 years. If this is the first year she is in the office, no problem that you look at the past, look at the past president and blame him. But what about the first 6 years? So by saying that the report has old data, baka nga old yung data? Kasi kung new yung data na gagamitin, baka number one na tayo in the world, hindi lang in Asia. Why do I say this? You ask anyone, justice system, health, education, kalye, eh nakawan ng nakawan. Pati nga pangalan ko, di ko na pag-aari, nanakaw pa during this administration, dahil dun sa Pepito Cayetano. A person cannot even run in this election, without making sure na fair yung election.

..when people went to EDSA 2, it was not for GMAit was for national renewal, it was saying that we thought, we only had one EDSA to get rid of corruption, but here it is again. So people were not saying, its enough for GMA to do better than Erap.

it is not right for the President, number one to blame the opposition, and number two to say wala kaming ginawa. What I am saying, that instead of the president saying, ok yan ang perception, lets start to work. Lets look at what the corruption is, and lets get to it. Ang sinabi nya, opposition kasi ang nanggugulo at nagiging miserable tayo. And to leave you a last point, 20 cases ang binigay sa kanya ng PAGC, kasama dito yung sa National Printing Office kay Evardone, dinismiss ba nya? Me ginawa ba sya? Wala. And then sasabihin nya me perception na me corruption. Eh sarili nyang presidential commission nagbigay sa kanya, hindi nya ina-act on. Inuupuan nya.

On results of senatorial surveys and what they do about them:

Mike: para sa kin natutuwa na kami dyan sa survey, trabaho pa rin kami. I am not saying that it is not true. We should follow that, we should look at it and we should use it as a guide as to where we should pursue our campaign, our efforts. And I am still hoping that once we have the local fight, as we go along the campaign, that because we have a platform for government, because we are talking about unity, talking about strengthening of the economy, I hope that the people will understand our collective strength as a team, and our individual strength, given our track record. Na kahit papano ay makikita nila yung aming kakayahan, at yung kakayahan ng buong grupo, at yung plataporma na itinutulak namin. Na sa huli ay matutulungan pa rin yung aming grupo.

Alan: First of all, wala kaming duda na if you look at all of the surveys, in the past three years, and sentimiento ng tao ay nasa opposition. Ang tanong lang naman kasi, who are the people who can articulate or epitomize the kind of change our people want. Ibig kong sabihin, hindi porke nasa opposition, ay susuportahan na ng tao. They have to be the picture of someone people want to lead them. In the same manner, in fairness sa mga nasa team unity, hindi naman porke nasa adminstrasyon ka, eh bad ka. Ang sinasabi lang naman namin, lagot ka dahil sumama ka sa badthere are people there who fight corruption, have good record sa local government, etc. ang problema nila how do you defend being in the administration, when the people you are fighting against, like you are fighting against charter change eh doon ka sa administration. Youre efighting against corruption, eh yung corruption nandun sa administration. Pano magiging corrupt ang oposisyon eh wala naman kaming hawak na opisina. Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito ay conversion. And if you look, all of our candidates, except yung nakakulong, are in striking distance. Even yung nakakulong, ay nagpi-pick up, inspite yung bawal sya interbyuhin

So if you look at the survey sa amin, we are satisfied na kung bibilangin mo, 8 oppositionists are there, and then the three are at striking distance, despite the fact that we are being outspend, at around 10 is to 1, or until, 50 is to 1 pa sa iba. Meron iba, like senator-to-be Sonia Roco, siguro kung yung iba gumastos na ng 50 million, sya 1-2 million pa langnumber 2, hindi totoo yung sinasabi ng team unity na pag dumating na yung local, lalakas sila. Kasi, the experience is baligtad. Once the local machinery comes in, they concentrate on themselves. For the first 45 days, tumutulong sila sa national. Yung next 45 days, you campaign for yourself. Especially pag malakas yung opposition sa lugar mo, ayaw mong madamay ka. Ang exception dun, certain areas, na talagang malakas yung public officials. then lastly, for example in my case, this part talaga of the oplan ng Malacanang to set the phase for cheating . Why do we say that? Number one, si Garci, imbes na maparusahan, maimbestigahan, tatakbo pa intact pa rin yung Garci generals, lahat ng incentive for cheating nandyan. A month before the filing for candidacy, sinabi na ng Malaya, eto operation, me Cayetano na kinukuha. So if you actually look at the report of pulse Asia, si Pepito Cayetano is 7.1%, tinalo pa nya ang dalawang kandidato sa team unity. If you add his score to my score, because in the provinces, he is using Peter Cayetano in his posters or j cayetano, I will be number 4. pero, wag nyo ng idugtong sa kin yung pepito. If you look at the report of Pulse Asia, there is Cayetano lang ang sinulat. If you add that, I will still be number 4. if you add both yung ke pepito and cayetano, I will be number 2.erase na sa min ang administration. Ang tanong lang, can we get our act together. Can we organize well, can we send the message well, regardless of what the administration is doing. Syempre, lahat ng lumalabas na isyu, sa amin ibinibintang

Mike:..dito kasi sa team unity, magsama-sama kami, magtulung-tulong kami, ayusin na natin for the next three years of the country. Itigil na ang batikusan, itigil na yung awayan. Of course the investigation can continue, everything else can continue, but we should be productive and proactive. Pumasok na yung usapin na , ano ba yung gusto nating gawin, the platform of government under team unity para magawa natin sa bansa. Now, we can recognize the fact na ang mga tao ay may deep-seated na mga away, galit , anger and all. But we are also hoping that beyond that, ano yung gusto natin para sa bansa, at ano ang direction na gusto nating ma-achieve para sa ating lahat.

On abolition of the Senate:

Mike: eventually for the sake of national interest, and I am intellectually convinced that we should do that, I have no problem. I am willing to sacrifice, I have no problem, kung kinakailangan para sa bansa.

Alan: Ill join Mike there, kung para sa bansa, at majority of the people believe that the abolition of the Senate will be good, even if I were a senator. Pero, dapat, magresign din si GMA. Because I dont believe that it will be good for the country, na kung mawala ang Senate, pero si GMA nandun. But, kaming dalawa sabay na magresign, at mawala Senate, why not.

On Alan Cayetano-FG Mike Arroyo reconciliation:

Mike: Baka naman pwede na, alam ko naman na youre a religious person, itabi natin yung, personal, mag-usap kayo, then lets go on with the campaign. Kasi kung magiging masyadong personal yung away, you will really reach the level that you are in right now, which I think should be avoided by many of us. And it is not really good for the country, for someone like you, for the future leadership of this country, to be engaged in this kind of situation.

Alan: Well, Mike, thank you for admitting that it is really the First Gentleman doing that, not admitting lahat, but by saying dahil personal. But let me tell you Mike, with all my heart, hindi personal yung ke FG. Kung ano yung ginawa ko ke FG, yun din ang ginawa ko ke Erap. Ang kaibahan dito hindi ako, ang kaibahan, si Erap tinawag mong magnanakaw, ang sagot nya sa atin, sige, harap nyo kami sa judge, at walang galit sa puso nya. Kay FG, sabihin mo, nagnakaw ka ba, ang sagot sa yo it is none of your business, tapos, bibigyan ka ng Jose Capco, bibigyan ka ng Joselito, etc. so ang problema wala sa akin. Maski bukas, haharap ako sa kanya, pero di ako magso-sorry dahil di naman nya tinutupad yung pangako sa EDSA 2. Pero, itupad nya ang pangako at mali ako, sino ako para hindi magsorry sa kanya.

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