TRANSCRIPT: SBSA'S QUESTIONING
HEARING ON THE MANILA PENINSULA SIEGE
NOV. 29, 2007

SBSA: Did they handcuff you?

ELLEN TORDESILLAS (MALAYA): They tried to handcuff me. Inilalabas na nila kasi yung mga plastic na nakasupot yun e. So, inilalabas na nila and they were handcuffing everybody. But noong sa akin na ayaw kong magpa-handcuff at nagreklamo ako.

SBSA: So, none of the three of you were handcuffed?

CHARMAINE DEOGRACIAS (NHK): None, your honor.

SBSA: Were you restrained from physically leaving the area going to your offices?

DEOGRACIAS: Yes, your honor.

SBSA: In a case of an arrest without the warrant it also states that the arresting officer shall inform the subject or suspect of his rights under the Miranda doctrine. Were any of you read the Miranda rights by the arresting officer?

DEOGRACIAS: No.

SBSA: Can I back track a little. Geary Barias was shown on TV requesting members of the media to vacate the Peninsula. Did Gen. Barias or any other law enforcement entity order any of you to leave the Peninsula prior to the assault that they conducted?

ELLEN: No, in fact our office did not get any order from the PNP.

SBSA: Just to be clear, so nakikiusap na tumabi na po tayo. Naalala ko sa TV never at anytime did Gen Barias or any PNP officer say, "We are about to conduct an operation; you are in danger; you are ordered to leave the premises."

ELLEN: We were at the Manila Pen sa mezzanine. So, we didn't have any contact with police there. I don't know if they were able to call some reporters that they know but sa akin, I didn't get any call from the policemen.

SBSA: Mr. Cabacungan?

GIL CABACUNGAN (PDI): He made the order at the lobby sir (he) was not allowed to go up to the second floor.

SBSA: There was an order you have to clear now, how was it phrased?

GIL C: "Nakikiusap po ako sa inyo. Umalis na po kayo rito."

SBSA: Yung sa Tagalog po pag nakikiusap, request (in English) as opposed to "Inuutusan kayong umalis dito."

GILC: Yes sir.

SBSA: So, nag-level ng request kaysa utos?

GIL C: Yes, sir.

SBSA: Pagdating po sa� ah Ms. Deogracias, just for the record?

DEOGRACIAS: No, I haven't been called. Nakita ko yung �kasi nasa mezzanine kami.

SBSA: Pagdating pos a Bicutan, meron ho ba kayong mga abogado?

ELLEN: Wala. Mr. Macasaet texted me that he called up our lawyer to be there. But upon arriving there (Camp Bagong Diwa)�The only lawyer that we know are the lawyers of ABS CBN. I understand even they had a hard time getting in to Bicutan. So, wala. Nagpatulong lang kami sa abugado ng ABS CBN through Chari Villa.

SBSA: Same question for the other two.

DEOGRACIAS: I was telling my desk na "I'm being taken somewhere. Iwas not aware where they're taking me. I don't know how to tell them where they can send the lawyer, because I was not informed where they're taking me.

SBSA: Mr. Cabacungan?

GIL: When we were told that we would be taken to Bicutan, I immediately called the office and our lawyer was sent ahead of us.

SBSA: So, your counsel was present?

GIL C: Yes sir.

SBSA: Can I move on to another topic and I'd like to ask Atty. Velasco. I'm sorry you're the only one present. If Sec. Gonzales was present, I would have asked him. In our justice system, sa umpisa may batas na krinaft; pagsinabing itong "Act" na ito illegal, maski anong batas, for that matter, merong requirement sa civil code na kailangang i-publish para malaman ng taongbayan ano ba yong mga obligasyon? Ano ba yong mga labag sa batas?

ATTY. VELASCO: Yes sir.

SBSA: So nagkaroon ng batas; krinaft ng legislature; pinublish to inform the citizenry. Pag may nag-violate ng batas na ito, inaaresto. Yung inaresto dadaan sa preliminary investigation; if warranted pupunta sa korte to determine the innocence or guilt. If guilty may sanction ka, tama po ba?

VELASCO: Opo pero dadaan din po sa kapiskalan po to determine if there is probable cause. Pero tama po kayo. Ultimately yung korte po ang magsasabi.

SBSA: Sinabi kasi ni Sec Gonzales sa pagpapaliwanag niya ng "curfew", ultimo po raw yung barangay ay pwedeng maglabas ng curfew na ordinance. Hindi po kami nakakuha sa barangay pero dalawa po ang nakuha namin, isa po sa Marikina at isa po sa Naga. Sa Marikina po, yung Section 16 na effectivity: "The ordinance shall take effect one month after its posting and dissemination. Sa inyo pong pagkakaalam, yung paglabas po ng curfew, una muna ho meron ho bang batas na ipinasa ang Kongreso na nago-authorize sa barangay na magpatupad ng curfew?

VELASCO: (no answer)

SBSA: Ako po ay matagal-tagal na rin sa legislature pero wala akong naalalang ipinasang batas na nage-impose ng curfew. Pero di bale na ho yan. Dun na lang tayo sa aftermath ng Peninsula siege. May mga inarestong tao na nagviolate ng curfew at yung publication po yata ng rules and regulations ay nalabas sa dyaryo�ewan ko lang kung sa ad o press conference lang po yata�pagkatapos nung mismong araw na in-impose ang curfew. Di ho medyo hindi normal yung sitwasyon na bigla na lang meron kang asunto na hindi pa naiipaalam sa taongbayan na ang bagay na kanyang ginawa ay illegal. Sa atin pong batas yata, kabilang sa requirements ay "publication in an official gazette" at yung iba nga ay required pa to be published in a national daily. Hindi po tinukoy ang mere announcement in the radio. So dito ho ipinatupad noong gabi ng Nov. 29 yung curfew sa Metro Manila, Region III and IV-A. Nag-aarestohan ng mga tao saka pa lang ipinublish yung rules and regulation at saka yung �parang huhulaan na lang natin kung ano ang bawal at hindi bawal doon sa implementing rules and regulations after na nagkaarestohan na. Iyon ho ba normal?

VELASCO: (no answer)

SBSA: Last point na lang po. Nahihiya naman po ako sa inyo. Buti nga ho pinaunlakan ninyo imbitasyon namin. Yong tao ho na nag-violate ng curfew� Alam nyo noong nasa Lower House pa po kami, nagkaroon ng isang kaso na vagrancy ang issue. At doon sa vagrancy, tanda ko, ay dumaan sa korte at nagkaroon ng paglilitis kung na-violate nga yung batas, yung Art. 2101, 2102 ng Revised Penal Code. Tapos sinabi ng Korte, nung nag-plead guilty itong mga inakusa, nagbayad na lang sila ng multa. Ang tanong ko po dito, ikinulong yung mga tao, iyon ho ang sinabi nung curfew. Pag ikaw ay nasa kalsada, ang implementation ikukulong kayo hanggang alas singko ng umaga. And wala namang korte na nagsabi itong taong ito nag-violate ng curfew at kelangang ikulong. Wala hong paglilitis para maitaguyod mo ang karapatan mong harapin ang mga nag-aakusa sa iyo. Pwede ho ba ito sa sistema ng batas natin?

VELASCO: Pwede po Senator ang sinasabi nating warrantless arrest pero merong sapat na oras dapat isampa yung kaso katulad kung ganyan ka-light, meron pong sapat na oras. Pag hindi isinampa ang kaso, makakasuhan po yung nag-aresto sa kanila.

SBSA: Hindi naman ho sinampahan ng kaso. Ikinulong lang. Tapos yun hong maximum penalty hanggang alas singko ng umaga. Kumbaga iyon na yung maximum penalty. Hindi naman for custodial lang e. Wala ng iba pang penalty na ini-impose sa iyo pag-serve ng curfew. Sa Marikina at Naga medyo maliwanag. Merong multa.may community service and/or na penalties. Tapos pwede ka sigurong mag-apela sa korte sa kung palagay mo mali ang pag-aakusa sa iyo? Pero dito sa pag-implement sa curfew na ito, meron pa bang kino-contemplate after or yung mga inaresto na lang na na-deprive nung kanilang right to travel under Art III, Sec. 6 of the Constitution. Parang either illegal detention or arbitrary arrest na lang siguro, 'yan na lang ba ang paglilitis na mangyayari rito?

VELASCO: Senator, if I may be allowed, it is my position out of reference to our Secretary (DoJ) for the reasons aforestated in his letter, I am willing to submit my recommendation as a private citizen, as a lawyer and as a former journalist who have covered several coup attempts, I will submit for appropriate recommendation po.