Press Release
May 12, 2011

Transcript of Interview of Senator TG Guingona after
the Plea Bargaining Hearing

Q: Tapos na po ba o may kasunod pa?

STG: Evaluate natin yung nangyari. Unang-una mayroon pang mga tanong na hindi pa nasasagot tungkol sa liquidation ng mga pondo on the ground level. Very discretionary iyon at very dependent sa character ng commander. Secondly, iyong pension, sapagkat ito yung ginagastos natin para sa suweldo ngayon . Ito yung ginagastos natin para sa mga pension . Malapit na magkaroon ng panahon na mas mataas ang ginagastos natin para sa pension kaysa sa suweldo ng military . Delikadong situation iyan on a financial point of view. Kailangan masolve talaga iyan. Kailangan mahearing pa natin iyan sa susunod.

Q: Reaction na ina-assure kayo na wala ng pabaon pa ngayon.

STG: It is an assurance but this is a new system. In fact they have not even released the 18 point program so we still have to evaluate it. Only time can really tell whether the reforms that they proposed are actually effective. It's just out now. We have to see.

We believe in their good intentions. We believe in their integrity and we believe that they will do their best to deliver but as to whether it will be effective, only time will tell.

Q: Does it end on the reforms of the AFP?

STG: It does not . We can open it anytime when we feel that there is cause for investigation again like the pension that we mension.

Q: Mukhang lumalawak na po ang sakop ng imbestigasyon, hanggang saan lang po ba dapat umikot ang imbestigasyon?

STG: Mukhang lumaki at napakalawak ng Armed Forces issue. At some point we will issue an interim report just like what we did sa Plea Bargain Agreement. Ito ay partial interim report.

Q: Kailan ito lalabas?

STG: The next few weeks.

Q: At this point, may kailangan bang isagawang batas para ma plug yung loopholes sa mga problema dito?

STG: Yes, maganda ang suggestions na periodically ibibigay sa president ang actual number of troops. Iyon ang magiging basehan para sa suweldo. Instead of ngayon, it's the approved ceiling. That can be made into law para that would be institutionalized already.

Q: On privitazing on the way of auditing within AFP. Kailangan ba i-push through iyon?

STG: Mayroon naman COA audit and we have confidence on the new leadership in the Commission on Audit . As you know, we have two Commissioners. The chairman and Commissioner Heidi Mendoza who has just been appointed. We have belief in them and I think the Commission on Audit will be auditing them properly this time.

Q: On eradicating conversion. Did we resolve this issue?

STG: It was not resolved. It seems that they have no answers for it yet and even Senator Cayetano has proposed that we should give them more discretionary funds. So I guess that this is unending debate. That's what they said , No conversion.

Q: On the disbursement of Funds

STG: Yung pagbababa ng pondo galing sa taas , dati, centrally managed funds. Ang laki-laking pondo. Ngayon binababa na nila. Kung mayroon mang kalokohan na gagawin sila sa pondo ay mahihirapan na sila ngayon sapagkat nandoon na per unit ang pondo. You've got the money disbursed all over so it's harder to coordinate something that you want to do to get 50 million for example. It's harder to do it.

Q: Is this better?

STG: We think it's better this way.

Q: If ever may hearing pa sa susunod , sinu-sino ang mga balak ninyong imbitahin pa?

STG: It's just that we don't want to close shut the door yet but it's for any future developments. For now, would like to keep it at that except for the issue on the pension reform. Sapagkat wala naman silang sagot eh . They said they will submit the recommendations of the AFP RSBS to us soon but that's just the initial report, so that issue has not been closed yet.

Q: MR of the Plea Bargain

STG: They (Solicitor General) will file Motion for Reconsideration

Q: Pero hindi pa ngayon?

STG: No, they have to file within a certain number of days. SolGen wiill continue the fight.

Q: As far as the Blue Ribbon is concerned, tapos na yung kay General Garcia?

STG: Yes.

Q: Wala ng reopening of case?

STG: No more. We still stand by our decision.

News Latest News Feed