Press Release
May 27, 2009

Transcript of interview with Sen. Pia S. Cayetano Senate Plenary

Q: On playing the video on executive session

SPSC: I am calling on my colleagues not to play the video. Naniniwala kasi ako na kailangan natin ng balance of interests dito. And assuming meron kaming mapapala as legislators in playing the video, which naniniwala ako na wala, then we have to take the higher moral ground and decide that we will not be a party to this. We will respect women's right and we will be an example of how we should treat women.

What do we gain by watching it?

Q: Do you think the victims are reliving the experience once the video is played?

SPSC: Yes. Do you think the woman will tell us 'it's ok you watch it in aid of legislation'? No! She will be embarrassed over and over again. She will agree, sa takot na lang na haharap siya sa mga senador. Pero I don't think that any woman would want one more person to watch it. And I don't see any reason at all for my colleagues to watch it, even in executive session.

Q: Do you see any redeeming value in it?

SPSC: I don't see any redeeming value in it. Kung matalino kang legislator, pwede mo namang isipin kung ano yung possibleng circumstances na gusto mong i-cover sa batas mo. For example, pwede mong isipin na sinasadya niya, o tinago [ang camera] na para bang sex den yon na may nakatagong camera, e di gawin nating aggravating circumstances yon [para sa krimen ng voyeurism]. You don't have to see the video. What are you going to see in this video? This woman performed certain acts na hindi niya in-intend na makita ng public, tapos titignan naming. Kahit ba nakasara ang pinto, kahit ba tatlo kami, lima kami, sampu kami. Let's take the higher moral ground, don't watch the videos.

Q: Even in executive session?

SPSC: Even in executive session. Ibig sabihin ng executive session, mga senador lang ang manunuod. Bakit natin panonoorin, ganun ba kami katanga? Na hindi namin pwedeng isipin kung paano nangyari yung krimen na yon? Ang intention naman namin ay gumawa ng batas para proteksyunan ang mga kababaihan. Kailangan pa ba naming panoorin iyon? Ilang beses na naman nakita yon sa news, at na-relate naman yung mga circumstance.

And besides, we are not the judge. The proper cases have been filed in court. The PMA has said that they will take jurisdiction of the case.

So kung may kailangan ma-prove -- kasi in court if it's a crime kailangan ma-prove yung guilt ng taong iyon - then the judge will take care of that. If the judge has to watch it, then let the judge watch it. But we are not the judges here, we are doing this in aid of legislation, and there is nothing to legislate by watching the video.

Q: Sabi po nila, sobra-sobra na yung investigation na ginagawa. Do you think the Senate should also investigate?

SPSC: In this particular case, there is actually a bill filed by Sen. Miriam [Santiago] na may committee report na. Di ba 'yung bill ko [SBN 3267, "Anti-Video Voyeurism Act"] na na-file na rin is very similar to Sen. Miriam's bill? And so we can make the proper amendments on the floor.

The resource persons na in-invite sa hearing pwede din naman naming gawing resource persons sa gallery. Sa tingin ko, if you really want to give justice to these women, pwede nang ilagay sa plenary yung bill ni Senator Miriam para hindi na kailangang humarap pa yung mga witnesses. Because I can leave to other government agencies yung investigation and the finding of fault. Nandyan ang PMA for the medical and ethical case; nandyan ang criminal case na na-file na ng biktima; so I don't really think that this [Senate investigation] would have to be handled this way.

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