Transcript of interview with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

Q: Sir, yung Ombudsman humihingi na daw ng copy ng privilege speech ni Senator Lacson tungkol kay Joseph Estrada?

SP: Hindi ko alam kung humihingi sila. Pero kung humihingi man, ewan ko kung ano ang dahilan.

Q: Sir, sabi po ni Secretary Gonzales motu proprio, Ombudsman can investigate na daw po specially dun sa angle involving Mr. Yuchengco's shares.

SP: How can the Ombudsman have the jurisdiction? He is no longer a public officer. It's already an ordinary case. The Ombudsman has the jurisdiction only over people who are in the service. That's my understanding of the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman.

Q: Sir, you said yesterday that this means nothing po, even the version of Mr. Yuchengco unless it is sworn before the court.

SP: Well, they have to bring the matters to court if they want to charge the former President if indeed there is a crime committed. They have to file it before the prosecuting office of the government and present their evidence. Statements outside the Department of Justice or outside the court which are not sworn, are nothing but mere statements. They are not evidence against anybody yet. They're mere allegations or accusations. They become evidence if they are declared under oath before an investigating body.

Q: Sir, considering that Mr. Alfonso Yuchengco has confirmed the allegations of Sen. Lacson against Joseph Estrada, ano po yung possible liabilities ni Erap?

SP: Hindi ko alam. That has to be defined by the fiscal.

Q: Sir, how come Mr. Yuchengco did not file any case against Erap?

SP: I don't know. I think that is the proper question that must be asked to him.

Q: Sir, pero that is a valid question?

SP: Yes, that is a valid question.

Q: Sir , kung bakit ngayon lang po lumabas ang issue at hindi pa noon?

SP: Well, I do not know the reason of Mr. Yuchengco in not raising the issue in the proper investigating body of the government.

Q: Sir, yung tungkol po sa hearing...

SP: I cannot discuss the hearing. I am the Chairman of the Committee and I don't want to make any statement one way or the other.

Q: Sir, comment po dun sa death of former Senator Sotero Laurel, may honoring po ba ang Senate?

SP: Yes, we will take that up this afternoon.

Q: Wala pa po bang plans to suspend the session?

SP: I think we are going to do that this afternoon.

Q: Sir, so possible po na open and close ang session?

SP: Yes, we will pass a resolution for that.

Q: Sir, sa Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, hindi ba po affected sa controversy ni former President Estrada?

SP: Hindi. We will continue the work of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. Now, the problem of the former President, if he has any problem, will have to be handled by the proper institution of the government.

Q: Sir, hindi pa kayo kinunsulta sa bagay na iyan?

SP: Hindi pa. Hindi pa kami nag-uusap.

Q: Sir, hindi na daw tatakbo si Vice President Noli de Castro under the administration ticket? Ano po ang chance niyang manalo pa? Yung popularity niya, kaya ba siyang ipanalo?

SP: I cannot answer that. I have not assess his chances. It is up to him to decide.That is a very personal matter to him. He alone can make a decision on that whether he will continue running or not. If he will continue running, I am sure he shall assess his chances.

Q: Sir, kung Secretary Teodoro naman ang pangbato ng Administration, malakas ba po yung kanyang pag-kakandidato?

SP: I will not underestimate him. Let's put it that way. Of all the candidates, Sec. Teodoro is the only one who can speak fluently the Ilocano dialect. Ilocano belong to a large portion of the population of the country. They're all over the country. From Cagayan to Ilocos region, all the way to Mindanao, all the way to Mindoro.

Q: Sir, so kahit mababa siya sa mga ratings sa survey?

SP: You know ang rating is an opinion of at an instant of time. If it's low rating , you can never be safe to say that he is already sure to be defeated. You still have... how many months away before election day or before May 10?

Q: So, Secretary Teodoro has a good fight?

SP: You cannot just disregard the number of Ilocano voters all over the country. They are probably, how many millions ba? If I would calculate, probably about five to seven millions Ilocano votes in the entire country.

Q: Sir, yung mga Ilocanos ba, pinapaboran nila ang mag kababayan?

SP: Malamang ganoon nga. Tignan natin ang mga Bicolanos, pinapaboran din nila ang kanilang kababayan. Si Secretary Gilbert is the only one who can fluently speak Ilocano among these people who are running for president.

Q: Sir, papaboran ninyo ba siya?

SP: Ilokano ako pero meron din akong kandidato.

Q: Is Vice President Noli saying that he is not going to run for president under the administration?

SP: He is probably going to run for vice president.

Q: So that means he his out of the presidential race?

SP: Vice President Noli is the competitor of Erap as far as the masa is concerned. If you follow the syllogism, that is favorable to the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Q: So, option is for vice president na lang?

SP: I think kung kakandidato pa din siya , either he will run for the Senate or for the Vice President.

Q: So, sir kung Villar-Noli, malakas ba iyon?

SP: Villar and Noli, yes malakas din yan. Katulad ng Chiz and somebody, Erap and somebody, malakas din yan. Gilbert and somebody, malakas din yan.

Q: Sir, what about yung Noli and Erap?

SP: I don't know. All of them, Noynoy and Mar, may kanya-kanyang balwarte iyan. Ang problema lang, eto personal opinion ko ito, in cthe case of Secretary Teodoro and Sen. Noynoy (Aquino), they will split the vote of Tarlac. That's for sure. The vote for Nueva Ecija will be a toss act between all others and Erap. Erap is quite strong in Nueva Ecija. In Bulacan, malakas din si Erap. This Central Luzon is supposed to be the baluarte of Senator Noynoy ang Secretary Gilbert. Secretary Gilbert will surely get lots of votes in the area of Pangasinan because Eastern Pangasinan is Ilocano and Western Pangasinan is Ilocano. Central Pangasinan is Pangasinense. The Pangasinense would normally go , if we go by traditions, for the the Ilocano candidate. They are identified with Northern Luzon. If we go beyond Zambales, from San Antonio, San Felipe, San Marcelino, Kabanggan and several other towns there, they are all Ilocano towns. Now you go farther up, La Union and the entire Cordillera areas, all the way to some portion of Nueva Ecija ang Vizcaya downwards all the way to Northeastern part of Luzon and the entire Ilocandia, are all Ilocanos-speaking town.

Q: Sir, sabi ninyo na pagdating sa masa, malakas sina Erap at Noli? How about Senator Chiz?

SP: Do not underestimate Senator Chiz sa kabataan. From 18 to 35 years old, kabataan iyan. Malaking bloke yan.

Q: Sino po ang pinakamalakas sa kabataan?

SP: Si Senator Chiz.

Q: Ilan percent ang voting population ang mga youth?

SP: At least mga 40 percent.

Q: So mas malaki pa din ang masa kesa sa youth?

SP: Maraming kabataan din sa masa. Itong eleksyon na ito, wala pang nakakasiguro.