Ambush interview of independent Senator Richard J. Gordon on World Bank probe, Automation, and Fertilizer Fund Scam probe

On World Bank

Sen. Gordon: Mag-uusap mamaya, and again I emphasize, hindi ko hinihingi yan, di ko inaasam yan. That will have to be the decision by the Senate, not by me.

Gusto ni Sen. Santiago na isa-publiko ang World Bank report. But the World Bank says executive session. Ano'ng reaction?

Sen. Gordon: Strictly confidential within the World Bank yan. Sa tingin ko dapat ilabas yan sa publiko. By the way, in other countries yang mga report na ganyan wine-welcome. In fact, I think Sen. Lacson told me sa Sweden may nakulong, sa Lesotho may nakulong. We should not be very antagonistic right away. Dapat tignan natin kung nakakatulong yan. I have worked with the World Bank a lot of times in Subic Bay and they are very, very helpful in assuring na malinis yung pamamaraan ng bidding namin doon kaya ako dapat siguro tahimik ako dahil pinapanood ko talaga kung ano ang nangyayari sapagkat sa tingin ko mas makakabuti yan at tinitignan sa atin yan kung gagalaw tayo dyan.

Kung itatago natin yang imbestigasyon na yan at ang mangyayari ay wala tayong mahahagip, ay ano'ng mangyayari sa atin? Yun talagang bansag sa atin na corrupt tayo ay talagang mananatili sa buong mundo.

Pag kayo po ang humawak sa World Bank, how would you treat it? How would you treat FG?

Sen. Gordon: Like any other citizen of the country. Just because somebody has a title or somebody by affinity, I will summon him subject, of course, to the condition of his health but that is hypothetical question. Hindi naman ako maglilitis pero kung tatanungin nyo ako for that matter any investigation that I handle ay talagang kung kailangang tawagin, tatawagin ko, kung kailangang i-deposition, ide-depose ko. Pwede naman yun.

Is he off the hook?

Sen. Gordon: I don't know. Im not in charge of the investigation.

Pano yun sir kung ideclare ni Miriam ...

Sen. Gordon: In fairness to Sen. Santiago, I don't think she has cleared anybody. Let us wait until the final report comes out.

May humihingi ng inhibition from House?

Sen. Gordon: I think Sen. Miriam is, as usual, doing it her own way and she should be given the kind of latitude.. Although of course I may not agree with everything that she is doing, she is the chairperson and we do have a rule here, kung sayo na-assign ang committee, you are the queen of that committee.

Sir ano sentiment ng majority sa caucus?

Sen. Gordon: I think malalaman nyo mamaya. Magmi-meeting ulit kami mamaya.

Is it true that majority gusto malipat sa blue ribbon?

Sen. Gordon: I think from the economic affairs point of view, Sen. Santiago has that leverage, sa kanyang committee yun. But from the standpoint of, let's say, accountability, kung papasok na sa accountability yan, yung iba iniisip yan na maibigay sa blue ribbon. I said for the record there, and I say before the media today, that I inhibited myself from that debate. I'm not asking for it. I'm not seeking it, but depende yan. Sabi ko nga kausapin muna natin si Sen. Santiago bago tayo gumalaw.

Will you accept it if it will be referred to you?

Sen. Gordon: Well, if it would be referred to me, yes, I will have to accept it because that is a Senate official's conduct.

How do you want to do the investigation?

Sen. Gordon: I'm not ready to answer that question until it happens.

Pero in yesterday's meeting marami nag-suggest na blue ribbon should take the investigation

Sen. Gordon: Only on that aspect of accountability.

Magiging strict din ba kayo sa pag apply ng rules of evidence?

Sen. Gordon: The Senate rules are clear with respect to substantive rights, doon lang kami maingat sa substantive rights. Pero we are not bound by rules of evidence unless it involves substantive rights. Halimbawa yung right against self incrimination, yan pwede yan.

Sino una nyong ipapatawag?

Sen. Gordon: That is a hypothetical question again. I don't want to answer that.

ON AUTOMATION

Sen. Gordon: We have to move fast on that. That's why I filed the bill myself. There are three bills that I have filed so far. Dapat pag-akyat sa Kongreso tuloy-tuloy na yan sa Senado at maumpisahan na yan para wala ng excuse. Pagkatapos lagyan natin ng oversight yan para hindi na naman magamit sa kalokohan ang perang yan.

By March matatanggap na ung P11.3B?

Sen. Gordon: Well, it is my hope that before we close the session this particular month dapat bago ma-close tapos na yan.

Sabi ni Dir. Jimenez wala pa procurement sa 1st quarter

Sen. Gordon: Dir. Jimenez is a spokesman, he's not a leader. He just speaks about concerns, I don't think he makes the decision. This is a law. The Comelec, the executive and the legislature have to see too it that the law happens, when the election happens on May. Talagang dapat maipasa yan agad sa lalong madaling panahon.

Sir sa sinasabi ni Jimenez pag di nilabas ng Malacanang yung pondo sa supplemental budget ay mahihirapan yung automation?

Sen. Gordon: I really don't believe Jimenez when he says mahuhuli tayo. We're cutting it close by not moving until March. Dapat talaga bigyan natin ng suporta ang Comelec. I don't want any reason later on to say by the present na mabagal ang Comelec kung hindi ninyo binigay yung pera. The moment it is approved dapat labas agad ang pera, takbo na kaagad yan. The law says we have to train, the law says we have to publish ang train everybody on this matter. Kaya kailangang lumabas talaga.

Is there a deliberate effort to delay?

Sen. Gordon: Wala pa naman ako nararamdaman na ganun. But I hope they don't, because talagang masama yan kung ide-delay nila yan.

Ano ba yung procedure? Pag pass ng law kelan dapat ilabas ang budget?

Sen. Gordon: Automatic. Gayahin natin yung sa veterans. Sa veterans pag pass ng law, nakabigay na yung pera kaagad sa Department of Veterans Affairs, meron na silang authorization. Kapag na-appropriate, may authorization na na hindi nanggagaling sa presidente, nakalakip na yan sa batas. Tuloy-tuloy, ibibigay na yung pera at may authorization ang treasury na ilabas agad ang pera sa department concerned. I think we have that here, we should have that here.

Preliminary report on fertilizer this week

Sen. Gordon: I was ready yesterday pero sabi sa huwebes na lang daw. Anyway inaayos ko pa ng konti nililinis ko pa, 5th draft na ko, para talagang malinaw sa tao at malinaw ang kakulangan ng iba. In fact I'm mentioning today, I used the word passive commission.

Definitely Paule will be charged?

Sen. Gordon: Definitely lahat sila. Ang pinakita ko nga doon ay passive commission ng executive.

Ano mangayayari kay Paule?

Sen. Gordon: Well Paule is going to be charged. We are preparing a case for perjury by the way. We will file a case against him for perjury.

Perjury lang?

Sen. Gordon: Perjury doon sa kanyang pagsisinungaling. Kasama din siya sa plunder.

On Bolante

Sen. Gordon: Ngayon kumpleto ang ebidensya kay Bolante. He is a marked man. He may be out of the picture right now, pero paglabas nito, ine-expect ko na dapat ang Ombudsman ay gumalaw at i-file sapagkat lahat ng ebidensya ay nakalap na laban kay Bolante.