Transcript of Interview with Senator Chiz Escudero

FG should be called now by the Senate to allow him to give his side...

Sang-ayon sa aming rules, sino mang taong binanggit ang pangalan sa kahit aning hearing ng senado dapat bigyan ng pagkakataong sumagot at ipaliwanag ang kanyang panig, yan ang requirement ng due process. We're affording the Fist Gentleman that opportunity, his name was mentioned by JDV III so it's only proper that he and other names mentioned by Joey de Venecia be afforded the opportunity to explain their side. Ngayon sino man ang walang tinatago walang dapat katakutan sa komite, hindi naman kami nangangagat.

Maybe that Speaker can also shed light but there's the inter-parliamentary courtesy...

Joe De Venecia asked his son and the First Gentleman to be transparent, I saw him in TV, in the same manner I think the Speaker without attending the senate investigation given inter-parliament courtesy, also shed light on several matters that he can corroborate given the testimony of Joey de Venecia yesterday. Number one did he play gold with chairman Abalos, the President, in China and did they talk about the ZTE deal that would prove it at all that it indeed it's being pushed by chairman Abalos. Number two did chairman Abalos indeed call him up as Joey de Venecia said, and did he threaten to kill Joey de Venecia and Darius Bondoc, and again according to his son, Joey de Venecia. And number did indeed Joey de Venecia meet secretary Mendoza at his house wherein the supposedly reconciliatory meeting was set up between the two of them, and many things perhaps that he can corroborate given the testimony yesterday of Mr. Joey de Venecia.

Hindi man testimony but through public statement...

Utang nya yon sa publiko siguro at sa anak rin niya na kung may nalalaman siayng totoo sa mga sinasabi niya eh di sigundahan niya, i-corroborate niya o kung hindi naman marapat rin na sabihin niya. Natutuwa ako na hindi daw aalis si Speaker de Venecia papunta dawn g Amsterdam, marapat at dapat lang yon dahil kung hindi siya na ang pangalawang pangalan na nabanggit sa testimonya ni Ginoong d Venecia na aalis ng bansa. Maganda naman n asana harapin niya at sagutin niya ang mga katanungang ito sa isip ng ating mga kababayan. I hope he will not skip on that opportunity.

On caucus Tuesday nighton barangay and SK elections...

On the barangay elections, senator Pangilinan announced last night that the senate will not postpone the elections, so the elections will push through in other words. Without passing any bill the scheduled elections will push through.

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Number two on EO 464 and MC 108, lantarang kawalan ng respeto at pagbabastos sa senado ang hindi pag-attend ngmga inimbitahang tao at personalidad, partikular sa executive branch at sa pamahalaan. Pinag-usapan nang mahaba ito, walang oposisyon, walang administrasyon, walang minority, walang majority, the senate as an institution will depend this institution in so far as its powers, prerogatives and rights are concerned and we will stand as one in respect to insisting that whomsoever is invited must heed the invitation and whosever cannot given an excuse valid and acceptable to the senate will be issued a subpoena but that all legal procedures in the issuance of such subpoena will be followed that should it be brought to the Supreme Court, we would have the necessary legal arms so to speak to depend the position of the senate. We would proceed with this cautiously and with prudence at hindi naming gagawin an gmga bagay na yon para lamang magkaroon ng away o conflict sa pagitan ng executive at senado.

Bukas (Thursday) may tatlo nang cabinet secretaries na isa-subpoena pero kung hindi pa sila pumunta, ano ang next move...

In accordance with the caucus this matters will be referred to the rules committee which will be handling all legal matters pertaining to the laying of predicates so to speak for the issuance of any subpoena, for the issuance of any order citing any person in contempt, but again we will proceed with this with prudence and cautiously knowing fully well that the last thing we want is a constitutional crisis between the senate and the executive branch.

So susundan nyo yung procedures...

Susundan naming yung proseso at pagdumating sa Korte Suprema ay hindi naman kami masosople kung saka-sakali.

So tulad ng dati, nang umabot sa punto na wala nang magawa ang senado, dinala at dinulog na...

At nanalo naman kami sa Korte Suprema ng mag panahong iyon, sila pala noon, hindi pa kami bahagi.

GMA told secretary Mendoza to explain at the Supreme Court...

I disagree with that, but then again ang records ng Superme Court ay public records din naman at may karapatang tayong makita at mabasa yung pleadings na sinumite roon ni Secretary Mendoza. May karapatang din tayong makita at manood maliban na lang kung executive session ang magiging oral argument sa Korte Suprema. Kaya lamang hindi ata abogado si Scertary Mendoza at hindi siya ang magsasalita sa Korte Suprema, siya ay magsasalita sa pamamagitan ng kanyang abogado at hindi siya mismo ang sasagot ng mga katannungan. Nakakalungkot lang na hindi na nga sumasagot sa tanong si secretary Mendoza aatakehin at tatawagin pa niyag talunan si Ginoong De Venecia kung hindi rin naman niya sasagutin ang mga katanungan tungkol sa kontrata huwag naman personalin ang mag testigong nagsasalita at nagbibigay liwanag tungkol sa isyung ito.

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Yung sa tribunal na magsasalita instead na sa senate mag-eexplain tungkol sa ZTE deal, is it proper?

That will be addressed by the actions to be taken by the senate in regard to the EO 464 via the issuance of the invitations, subpoena and if necessary and I hope it won't reach that point to cite certain persons in contempt should they fail to obey an order issued by the senate.

Sa supreme court the proceedings are based on evidence unlike sa senate may halong pulitika...

Para sa akin kung may politika o wala pagkakataon ito para pakinggan ang kanilang panig. Hindi ko maintidihan inakusahan sila nang matinding akusayon dapat bawat forum nga na maibibigay sa kanila tanggapin at kunin nila kung wala talaga silang tinatago at kung wala silang kasalanan, na hindi nila ginagawa yan partikular na sa senado, lumalabas marahil ang duda ng marami at hindi ko sila masisisi na may ginawa nga silang hindi tama at hindi naayon sa batas.

Kasama rin si FG sa isa-subpoena?

Lahat ng napag-usapang testigo basta papadaanin namin sa prosesong iyon pero hindi naming madadaliin para lamang siguro mabusog yung appetite ng marami na bangayan na, away na. Susundan naming yung proseso para kung dumating man sa supreme court hindi kami masosopla.

So yung Joker Arroyo suggestion yung susundan...

Just to be sure, prudence is the better part of valor. Siya (Joker Arroyo) rin naman daw ang isasalang doon kaya puwede ba bigyan din naman siya ng armas. Tama rin naman siya.

On issuing subpoena kay FG paano kung may sakit...

It depends on a lot of things, his actual physical availability, his health. Kasi kung titingnan ninyo sino ba ang may gusto ng away. We want to arrive at the truth, not to involve in a fight. Sa much as possible we want to avoid the fight but if it cannot be avoided neither we will be back out from it, but we will try to avoid the fight.

We agreed na susundan yung proseso (issuance of subpoena). Yes in a way walang nag-object (sa caucus), they agreed that the senate as an institution must be protected. We will proceed with prudence, prudence meaning we'll follow the legal process.

So hindi muna subpoena kundi invitation muna...

Oo, we'll follow the legal process para kung maakyat man ito sa Korte Suprema, may bala kami. Panagalaw we agreed on the fact that walang may gusto ng constitutional crisis so to speak, na bangayan at away. So one of the avenues being explored if at all would be to try to convince the executive to allow cabinet members to attend and respect the processes of the senate.

How will you intend to do that?

Wel nagkikita-kita naman sila (administrasyon), sila ha, hindi kami (oposisyon) sa mga functions, baka makausap, madam payagan niyo na.

Sa Senate caucus last night, the senate agreed...

To proceed with it cautiously with prudence, that we will follow the process. Walang debate doon. Nag-agree meaning, number one we will protect the senate as an institution nang hindi naman mapahiya ang senado. It cuts both ways that our processes will be obeyed, that our processes will not be ignored. Number two in protecting the senate we should be prudence in following the law in so far as invitations, subpoenas and contempt are concerned dahil kung umakyat ito sa lorte suprema maganda na yung kumpleto kami at walang butas yung ginawan naming.

Character assassination ang ginagawa against Joey de Venecia problem child daw...

Ano mang personal na atake, sino mana ng nasa likod niyan, ano man ang motibo niya, dalawa pa rin yung tanong na dapat sagutin- una nagsasabi ba siya ng totoo o hindi, kasi kung nagsasabi siya ng totoo anuman ang nakaraan niya hindi na dapat makaapekto yan sa kanyang testimonya kahapon. Pangalawa ano man ang motibo niya, ano man ang nakaraan niya, ang tanong may ginawa pa rin bang mali o wala ba ang administrasyon kaugnay ng ZTE at sino mang opisyal sa gobyerno ngayon, those two questions must still be answered and answer directly and personal attacks or questions of motives can never answer those two questions.

On the ones funding Joey de Venecia...

Again sino man ang nagpopondo sa kanya, sino man ang nasa likod niya, ang tanong nagsasabi ba siya ng totoo o hindi, and tanong ini-eskadalo raw niya si GMA, may eskandalo nga ba o wala, kasi kahot ano man ang sabihin niya o gawin niya kugn walang eskandalo, wala naman epekto eh.

Regardless nga, that does not mean to say that he cannot tell the truth now. Ang tanong nagsasabi nga ba siya nang totoo, may illegal ba talagang naganap.

Ito daw ZTE deal ang pinakamalaking eskandalo sa ilalim ng Arroyo administration kung hindi na-rescind yung contract...

Number one kapagka hindi na-rescind yung kontrata, number two kapagka hindi sila nagpaliwanag at basta na lamang nila ni-rescind. Dalawa ang dapat gawin nila magpaliwanag sila at i-rescind ang kontrata.

Kapag ka hindi...

Sampal sa Arroyo administration palagi ito at ang kanilang legacy na tinatawag, ang legacy na kanilang iiwanan mabubura na naman at mawawalan na namna iyon ay huwag nilang sisihin ang oposisyon na kami ang nanggugulo, kung wala sialng ginagawang mali, wala naman kaming puwedeng punahin sa kanila, kung wala silang ginagawang bawal o illegal, wala naman kaming dapat sabihing pag-criticize sa kanya. So huwag nilang pintasan yung pag-criticize at pagpuna naming, tumingin sila sa salamin may ginawa nga ba silang mali o wala.

Yung prudence na sinasabi niyo baka mag-cause lamang ito ng delay at makalimutan na lamang...

By a few days, we're talking days not months, kasi we have certain notice requirements eh, by a few days perhaps.

Eh kung may sakit...ang reason.

I don't know, it will be considered, kasi kung sino yung imbitahin naming, siguro kung hindi ngayon, siguro kung magaling na, ang importante masasagot yung mga tanong namin.

Hindi na kayo nao-offend pumupunta sila sa budget hearing pero hindi sa investigation...

Pinag-usapan din yan kagabi, but neither it is perhaps proper for us to use the budget proceedings, someone raised it although it's not yet settled, prang hindi naman proper na gamitin yung budget hearing as a avenue to ask them all of these questions.

It was discussed lang kagabi na without any final word on it na hindi puwedeng gamitin o dapat bang gamitin, na-raised lang yugn reservations na yun. On the part of some senators they don't want to cloud the budget deliberations with respect to this matter.

Pabor kayo na huwag gamitin yung budget deliberations...

Ako balak kong gamitin, ako, pero some senators expressed their reservations, (sino yun admin senators?) not necessarily, (may opposition day?) oo, na yung paniniwala nila na yung prosesong iyon huwag ihalo. Kapagka ginamit mo rin kasi yung ibang venue para diyan baka pati yung ibang hearing sa bills, (hindi puntahan), may point din eh, may valid concern din eh.