Press Release
September 11, 2012

Transcript of ambush interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On rumors of a Senate coup

SP Ok lang, thank you.

Q Bakit thank you?

SP Thank you dahil alam mo, napaka-bigat ng obligasyon ng Senate President, hindi ka makapasyal.

Q Pero just in case yung timing sir, di ba pag nagkaroon ng shake-up, madi-diskaril yung trabaho ng Senate?

SP Bahala na yung susunod, kaya na nila yan.

Q Personally may naririnig po kayo na attempts to unseat you?

SP Wala. Syempre, I am always expecting that. Every day, I am expecting to be relieved.

On AMLA

Q Sir, the FATF is set to meet again in October, will there be enough time to legislate the remaining AMLA amendments?

SP We will try our best to do everything we have to do but we cannot rush things. We have to study these Bills. We have to scrutinize the things that we do here. Let the judgment of the people be on us. We are not brought here to engage in popularity contests. We are brought here to do our work for the people according to our best lights.

Q Will it be crucial in the banking industry?

SP I do not know, I am not a banker. I do not know the operation of the banking system, so all I can say is that we have done already what we have to do, and there is this third Bill that is being debated, so I do not know the status of that. Yesterday, some members of the Senate approached me and talked to me about the introduction of additional predicate crime, like tax evasion. Tax evasion is a function of an entire bureaucracy, that's the Bureau of Internal Revenue. They have plenty of powers to run after tax evaders.

Q Will it suffice, the existing laws that we have?

SP As far as I am concerned they can scrutinize my tax obligations, I am always ready to bear out all the records that I have.

Q So there is no need to include the provision on tax evasion?

SP Some people are allergic to it because it can be used as an instrument of oppression. It has been used in other countries in the past. In all of history, this is something that has been used. Even in the Bible, you find that fear.

Q Ipapa-tanggal ninyo yung tax evasion sa predicate crimes?

SP Wala sa predicate crimes yung tax evasion.

Q They are proposing to include it.

SP I don't know, I have not studied the proposed amendment.

Q Requirement po ata yun ng FATF?

SP I don't know whether it is a requirement, but some approached me and I said, well, I will discuss it.

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