Transcript of Senate President Franklin Drilon's Press Briefing

SP Drilon's Opening statement

SP Drilon: Maraming mga text messages na nasasabi na kasama raw ang pangalan ko sa 19 na mga senador who Janet Napoles has implicated in the pork barrel scam. Well, I guess they are at it again. These are the black propaganda operators who were doing the same thing last year. They have been tapped to muddle the issue by spreading lies and baseless accusations.

We must not allow mudslinging and smear campaigns. Dahil lalo lamang nagugulo ang proseso ng paghahanap ng katotohanan at hustisya. These are the kinds of propaganda that will only ruin our quest to find out the truth.

Having said that, I reiterate my previous statement that the process of ferreting out the truth and delivering justice should be blind of any political colors. Those who have plundered the nation's coffers should be put to jail and their political affiliation - their pedigree - should never be a consideration.

The charges however must be supported by compelling and undeniable documentary evidence, because under the rules of court and under our rules of evidence, where the subject of the inquiry is the content of the document, the best evidence is the document. No other evidence is better than the document, because documents do not lie.

Kaya po kung anuman ang sinasabing mga listahan ay dapat may suporta ng ebidensya lalo na ang documentary evidence.

I wish to say once more that insofar as I am concerned, my name is not and will never be in any list, because I have not assigned a single peso of my PDAF to any NGO of Mrs Janet Napoles. The only NGO that I have been working with for the past several years is the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce where we build schools around the country at half the cost of government contractors. We have built over 1,600 classrooms. I can account for ever peso of my pork barrel. That is why I am very confident and strong in my statement that I am not in any list and I have not utilized my PDAF with NGOs which are charged to be fake. I can account for every single of the funds that were allocated to me.

Pabor kayo na i-reopen yung Blue Ribbon investigation?

SP Drilon: Yung pagbubukas muli ay iyan po ay call of the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Senator Guingona. To my information is that Senator Guingona has stated that he would wait the affidavit of Mrs. Napoles before he decides.

Ano ang epekto nito sa Senado kung marami ang ma-implicate?

SP Drilon: Well, as I said, implication must be supported by substantial and substantive documentary evidence. Kung wala naman, it won't affect the institution.

Hindi po kayo mananawagan sa mga kasamaha ninyo na ilabas yung accomplishment report ng kanilang PDAF?

SP Drilon: Well, I have submitted and made available all my availment of PDAF as early as October last year. That is addressed to their own judgement.

Would you wish for the list to be presented?

SP Drilon: If the list is supported by credible documentary evidence, please go ahead. Pero kung listahan lang naman, siguro naman pag-ingatan naman natin ang institusyon ng senado.

Ano sa tingin mo ang evidence ni Napoles?

SP Drilon: Hindi ko lahat nakikita ang ebidensya. As former Justice Secretary, I have to be precise in my statement. I have not examined the all evidences available.

Would Napoles appear to the hearing, how can the Senate be sure na hindi siya mag-ne-name-names lang?

SP Drilon: You can never be sure. That is why Senator Guingona said he wants to examine the affidavit first before making a decision.

Are you saying, kahit na mag-tell all si Napoles, kapag wala siyang documentary evidence at mag-testify lang?

SP Drilon: Sa pagkakaalam ko, ang bawat testimonies have back-up evidence. Verbal testimonies are based on documents and under the rules of evidence, the best evidence is the document itself. That is the rule that must be followed which is based on reason. Granting ma-substantiate niya, anong mangyayari, what is the worst scenario that could happen?

SP Drilon: That is theoretical and I do not want to answer that.

Sir, you're saying that your PDAF did not go to any Napoles NGO, but Sen. Lacson said there are other types of source of funds involved, can you also say with confidence that none of those funds at least allocated to you went to bogus NGOs?

SP Drilon: I can say that with confidence. None of them went to any questionable NGO.