Press Release
November 23, 2011

Transcript of Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On the former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Q: Marami siyang mga kaso na kakaharapin...

SP: That is the problem of the House of Representatives. You know, that's a certain elected position. It's the sovereign people of Pampanga that will decide that and since she's a member of the House, any action regarding the incumbent in the district involved will have to be decided by the House of Representatives. The Senate has nothing to do with that.

Q: Allowed po ba 'yung mag-assign ng caretaker dun sa kanyang...

SP: Oo, allowed 'yun. Nangyari na sa amin sa Cagayan 'yun noong namatay si Congressman Vargas. Walang Congressman doon sa 2nd district. The Speaker, was designated by some to act as representative of the district in addition to his position as a congressman of the first district of Cagayan, pending the special election.

Q: Sir, you think the government is doing it right? Yung pagpo-prosecute kay Gloria?

SP: Well, I will not make a judgment. It will be improper for me to make a judgment because I have not studied the evidence that they used to base the information on. So, whether it's proper or improper, that's a judicial determination.

Q: Sir doon sa caretaker, okay lang na anak niya mismo...

SP: Oo, pwede 'yun.

Q: Additional doon sa anak?

SP: Well, I think, that is addressed to the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.

On the Maguindanao Massacre Case

Q: Sir, may na-file na civil case 'yung ilang families ng mga victims ng Maguindanao Massacre against GMA. May basis po ba 'yun?

SP: Di ko alam. Factual 'yun e. Alam mo, sa aking paningin, they have to prove that there's a connection between the killing and any act of the President. You have to bear in mind that those people that were accused of doing the massacre were arrested because of an action of the President at the time. Q: Sir it's hard to prove, 'yung ganoon...

SP: They have to submit the proof.

Q: Kasi ang sinasabi nila ang basis noon for GMA is parang sinuportahan niya yung pag-aarmas daw ng mga grupo.

SP: Alam mo, 'yung binigyan ng baril, gobernador 'yun. He's a public officer. Noong panahon namin, ganoon din. 'Yung mga Presidente, they provide guns to some public officers who are in need of it. That's the practice.

Q: 'Yung Korte po na humahawak sa Maguindanao Massacre, matagal po ba 'yung proseso nito?

SP: Matagal 'yan dahil ilan ba 'yung namatay?

Q: 58 sir.

SP: Criminal cases 'yun. You have to prove each one.

Q: Tapos ang suspect po nasa 100 plus...

SP: Kaya nga, oo. They are represented by different lawyers.

Q: Baka daw po umabot ng 55,000 years...

SP: Hindi naman.

Q: Mayroon bang remedy para ma-shorten?

SP: If they filed several information for all of those people, try one case and convict them all. They may prove a conspiracy. One life, if they all participated in one crime, and they're all guilty of it they must be sentenced accordingly.

Q: Sir, gaano kaya katagal...

SP: Ngayon, if they wrap up those 58 lives in one information hindi sila magkakaroon ng problema. Siguro naman hindi individual information ang ginawa nila.

Q: Sir, sa tingin niyo ilang taon para...

SP: Depende sa ebidensiya na ipepresenta nila. Kung ako, I will select just enough number of witnesses to testify against all of these people and define the participation of each. That will not take more than one week. Ako, I've handled several prosecutions. I've prosecuted the killer of the son of Miguel Paterno, the Central Bank governor. I've defended the killer of the brother of Defense Sec. Eulogio Balao. I've prosecuted some people who killed the overseer of Hacienda Luisita. Three of them were prosecuted.

Q: Ano 'yun, marathon hearing, sir?

SP: Hindi naman. Basta depende sa judge 'yun. Marami akong na-prosecute.

Q: May proposal na para mapadali, from 197 accused, i-trim down na lang muna sa 30 plus. Pwede po ba 'yon?

SP: Hindi kailangan. Piliin nila ang may pinakamatibay na kaso. Lahat naman 'yon, they were all participants in the killing. So you get one open and shut case and convict them all. Di tapos. Then you continue with the others so nakakulong na, sentensiyado na sila sa isang kaso.

On the Commission on Appointments deferring the confirmation of the Philippine Ambassador to China

Q: Sir, 'yung nomination ng Ambassador to China was deferred...

SP: Marami pang questions si Serge Osmeña.

Q: Is it really that problematic?

SP: Hindi ko pa alam. Di pa tapos ang hearing. Mahirap husgahan naman.

Q: Ang report kasi is that China is gearing to go to war with Vietnam and the Philippines...

SP: 'Yun ang sabi sa peryodiko. Whether that is really a fact announced by the government of China is something else.

Q: Sir, 'yung proposal na si GMA sa government hospital huwag sa St. Luke's i-hospital arrest...

SP: Nasa Husgado 'yan. We leave it to the Courts to decide.

Q: Sir, may mga nananawagan na mga Congressmen kay Arroyo na mag-resign na daw po.

SP: Opinyon lang nila 'yon. Ang magdedecide ng resignation will depend upon the person. 'Yung mga congressmen na 'yon hindi nila hinalal si former President Arroyo. The only one who can ask for her to resign is her constituents.

Q: Sir, kapag one or two years na siyang hindi nakaka-perform ng duty niya, still nasa constituents niya para mag-decide?

SP: Oo. She's an incumbent until she is convicted. She's still the incumbent. Presumption of innocence di ba?

Q: Sir, your thoughts doon sa humihingi ng live coverage ng trial ni PGMA. Is that really needed?

SP: Nasa Husgado 'yun kung gusto nila ng live coverage. Siguro, double-edged 'yan. Masasaktan din 'yung administrasyon kung mahina ang ebidensiya nila. Kung live coverage 'yan, kung magagaling ang abogado ng respondent, magkakalat 'yung mga testigo ng gobyerno.

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