Press Release
February 19, 2014

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR TRILLANES IV

On the confirmation of General Malalda and Año

QUESTION: Sa controversial na general, si General Malalad at si General Año, may we know bakit nila kinonfirm kahit may alleged involvement dun sa Morong 43?

SAFT: Dahil na-resolve na yung opposition na yan nung first confirmation hearing nila for brigadier general. And in fact, hindi na nga umattend dito yung mga oppositors kasi na-resolve na lahat ng mga issues. So, to subject them to the same process, unfair din naman dahil na-resolve na.

QUESTION: Sir, yung kay General Año, four months ago, kaka-promote lang nya as brigadier general and then major general now. Is there anything unusual about that Sir?

SAFT: Walang unusual dun. Normally ganyan, nagtatagal lahat sila sa colonel pero pagka general, mga star-rank positions mabilis na ang turn over nyan kasi marami na ang nagre-retire. It's not unusual.

On the shift to Malampaya

QUESTION: Sir, yung sa PDAF issue, may balita na magmo-move on na sa Malampaya yung Blue Ribbon Committee hearings. Will you push na ipatawag yung iba pa?

SAFT: I will leave it up to the chairman, but the motion was already made. So, we will see sa next hearing kung relevant pa rin yung mga testimonies nila in light of the shift of focus to the Malampaya funds.

QUESTION: Pero sir, dapat bang tantanan na yung issue sa PDAF kasi parang napipin-point yung ibang senador tapos parang sa ethics committee nalang i-hear?

SAFT: I'm amenable to that kung ano ang desisyon ng Body. But for the interest of the public, hindi naman natin pinapabayaan. Nagshi-shift lang ng focus kasi yung Malampaya malaking issue rin yan.

On the word-war between Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and TG Guingona

QUESTION: Sir, yung nangyari kahapon, napag-usapan ba yan during the break? Kasi nagkaroon daw ng meeting kaya tumagal. And how was it resolved?

SAFT: They were left inside a room, there, within the executive lounge tapos naglabasan sila ng sama ng loob. At least doon na nilabas rather than sa floor.

QUESTION: Kayo sir, as a member of the committee, how do you find the way Sen. Guingona is handling the accusations that he is prejudging the outcome of the hearing?

SAFT: I don't think so. He is conducting the hearings quite well. He's very patient. I think this is the 10th committee hearing in past 6 months so it requires a lot of patience and management skills in order to collate everything and give everybody some space and some chance to say their piece.

QUESTION: Pero yung statement niya, parang ang isyu ni Sen. Jinggoy, yung 3-point shot at hindi pa nga daw nagsalita si Ruby Tuason.

SAFT: Sa akin kasi it's based on different context. Sa konteksto ni Sen. TG Guingona, he is looking at it as presiding officer na nakita niya how everything was built-up until dito sa witness na ito na nagsabing nagbigay ng pera directly to a senator. So in that context, that's a 3-point shot to him. But, apparently, syempre kay Sen. Jinggoy, being the subject of these hearings, medyo sensitive siya sa mga words uttered, sa mga questions raised. Kaya ganon din naman ang kanyang pinanggagagalingan.

QUESTION: Pero sir, sa tingin niyo, pabor po ba kayo sa sinabi ni Sen. Estrada na kulang ang testimony ni Ruby Tuason?

SAFT: Ako nga, again, I have already made my statements regarding the testimony of Ms. Ruby Tuason. But I am willing to be proven wrong kung maglalabas siya ng mga supplemental affidavits na in the process ma-recall na nya lahat ng detalye. I'm willing to give her the chance.

QUESTION: Sir yung sinabi nyong it's up to Sen. TG Guingona, pero 'di ba hahanapin din ng mga tao yun?

SAFT: Yes, I made that statement that the motion was already made, so, titingnan natin sa next hearing. And particularly, kung relevant sya doon sa magiging takbo ng investigation.

On naming names

QUESTION: Pero, Sir, yung sinabi ni Sen. Jinggoy na mayroon pang ibang pinupuntahang senador si Tuason. Do you think the Blue Ribbon should pursue this?

SAFT: Sa akin, sana sinabi nya doon sa floor. Nobody was stopping him.

QUESTION: Sinabi kung sino sir?

SAFT: Yun na nga, sana po sinabi nya kung sinu-sino yun. Para tayo kasing nagba-blind item dito. Alam nyo, hindi naman sa pinipigilan umattend doon sa mga hearings. Pwede sana syang umattend doon to rebut the statements of Ms. Ruby Tuason. Pwede rin nyang sabihin doon kung ano pang nalalaman nya. So, ganoon sana.

QUESTION: Sir, parang at this point, does it merit any investigation?

SAFT: Gumawa sya ng resolution to make it a different subject altogether, and he will be the main resource person doon sa resolution na gagawin nya. And sa akin nga, to spare everybody this exercise, sabihin mo na doon. Mag-privilege speech ka.

QUESTION: Will you challenge him to name names?

SAFT: Hindi. We don't need to challenge anybody. Sana ganoon na lang. Ayoko na kasi yung ganoong parang blind item yung dating. Parang nag-threaten ka, parang nili-leverage mo against somebody, might as well come out in the open if you have something to say.

QUESTION: Kumbinsido ba kayo na hindi lang sa kanila nakikipag-transaksyon si Tuason?

SAFT: Wala akong basis to say na ganoon, kasi ang pinagbabasehan ko yung kay Benhur Luy na testimonya - na ito lang yung mga binibigyan nila ng komisyon. So wala naman ang ibang (senador) dun sa ledger ni Benhur Luy.

QUESTION: Nung pumupunta po dito si Ruby Tuason hindi nyo ba sya, Sir, nakikita? Hindi din ba sya napadaan sa opisina nyo?

SAT: Yung opisina ko noon, sa Camp Crame pa. So I never had a chance to meet her.

QUESTION: Pero wala kayong alam na umiikot sya?

SAT: To be honest, no. Hindi ko talaga alam. Si Napoles daw umiikot, yun ang aking nabalitaan. Pero si Tuason, hindi ko nabalitaan yun until lumabas itong kaso.

QUESTION: Pero si Ms. Napoles, hindi po kayo nag-meet nung nandito na kayo sa Senado?

SAT: Hindi, fortunately.

QUESTION: Even before (you were here in the senate)?

SAT: Wala. Wala. I'm relieved.

On hospital arrest for Napoles

QUESTION: Yung hospital arrest kay Napoles? Yung she's asking for a hospital arrest? Does she deserve it? E pwede naman tanggalin na lang yung ovary.

SAT: Bahala na lang po yung korteng mag-decide kasi di ba, kung sabihin kong 'wag tapos may nangyaring serious, parang ako pa yung (masama). So I will leave it up to the court's good judgment.

QUESTION: Hindi ba nagkakaroon ng bad precedent na pag influential yung mga accused, they are being afforded special treatment when they are seeking hospital arrest? SAT: Hindi naman po. Kasi nung nakakulong din ako nun sa Crame, may mga common detainees din na pag malubha yung kalagayan, dinadala sa ospital sa Crame.

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