TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF SENATOR FERDINAND "Bongbong" MARCOS, JR. ON ARMM ELECTIONS POSTPONEMENT

SENATE SESSION HALL, MAY 09, 2011.

QUESTION: Sir, nanawagan ulet yun palasyon na immediately i-approve na daw yun postponement ng ARMM elections?

SEN BONGBONG MARCOS: We have been talking about this for a while, seguro ngayon na nandito na naman tayo, we can talk about scheduling hearings in the south. Pero ang katotohanan nito, kung talagang minamadali nila, we can use some of the findings that were brought up during the hearings of the House in Marawi City, Zamboanga and Cotabato. Baka pwede nating i-adopt yung kanilang findings para mapadali yun process and maybe be able to report it to committee by the end of this week, by next week.

Q: Sa plenary na 'yun?

SBBM: Oo, dadalhin ko na sa plenary at i-report out ko na ang committee report because it is urgent and we have to take the certification as urgent. Kung ganun, dahil nga minamadali, iniisip ko kung mag-a-out of town hearing pa or I might adopt na lang natin yung findings ng House dun sa kanilang mga out of town hearings. It could be the same process, as we will talk to the same people. As the palace is hurrying us, maybe that is what we will do. But let me talk to the others and ask them if they want to speak again, If they want another forum.

Q: Sir kung ia-adopt yun House findings it means for the postponement na ang Senate?

SBBM: NOT necessarily. Iba yun findings, iba yun conclusions. You can have the same findings but a different conclusion. If you remember, yun findings ng House ay hindi na-include sa Committee report. Ngayon, ito ay isasama natin sa committee report ng Senate. I don't know if that is actually procedurally correct or possible but let me study and I will decide by today--whether or not we conduct public hearings in the South or not- But either way we will find the best possible way to finish it as quickly as possible dahil urgent nga.

Q: Sir, hindi pa definite ang totoong recommendation ng committee? SBBM: Probably the recommendation of the committee is not to postpone but to have the synchronization in 2013.

(SECOND INTERVIEW, SENATE SESSION HALL)

QUESTION: Sir anong update sa ARMM elections?

SEN BONGBONG MARCOS: We will try to do our best to finish the committee report- seguro this week or next week. Maliwanag naman ang mga posisyon ng iba't-ibanng paksyon at maliwanag naman ang kanilang mga naging argumento kung bakit sila ay pro-postponement o anti-postponement. So, we can already come to some conclusion from the materials and testimony that have been made before the Senate Committee.

Question; It doesn't change your sentiment...?

SBBM; No it does not. As a matter of fact, I can probably say that the committee report will not recommend postponement but maybe we leave open the issue of synchronization of the elections--if that was the original intent of the postponement then perhaps that is something that needs to be discussed further but it will require further legislation for us to be able to do that.

Q: Synchronization for the future elections?

SBBM: For 2013. That is another issue that we can start talking about.

Q: When do you expect to submit your committee report?

SBBM: I'm hoping to do it next week.

Q: And accelerate the debate? How soon do you think the Senate could act on the bill?

SBBM: Dipende sa debate on the floor. We can bring it to the floor kaagad pero there are some priority bills also which are being accelerated also.

THANK YOU.