Press Release
July 11, 2016

Transcript: Sen. Leila De Lima's Presscon at the Senate

On whether she has read about or watched the presscon this morning of the SolGen

Hindi ko napanood kasi palabas ako sa isang network after an interview and then bigla nga nila akong pinabalik kasi meron nga daw mga sinabi ang Solicitor General in a presscon kanina at the PNP. So they told me some of those statements that he made and asked my reaction.

On claims that drugs proliferated during her time as Justice Secretary

Kasalanan ko yun? Are they accusing me na ako ang may kasalanan? Alam niyo naman siguro...For example, sino ba ang gumawa ng hakbang at sino ba ang gumawa ng konkretong hakbang para i-address yung mga napapabalita na pamamayagpag ng mga drug lords inside Bilibid.

Ilang beses ko na yan sinasabi na nung naka-receive kami noon ng intel reports about dun sa mga ginagawa nga ng ilang convicts sa Bilibid, I had to convene an interagency meeting and we met several times and pina-validate ko yung mga intel reports na yan na diumano'y may mga convicts na who are still plying drug trade inside the penitentiary.

So nung na-validate, ang next step, plinano namin kung ano dapat ang gawin. May mga options and then yung option na kung saan meron kaming consensus was gawin nga yung raid na yun, the major raid which happened in December 15 of 2014, where I personally led the major raid,

Hindi madali yun, dahil dangerous. Kung meron ngang mga namatay doon, karga ko yun. But fortunately, the operation went well, very smoothly. And then nung natuklasan nga namin yung mga ganun, mga pamumuhay nila sa loob, yung kanilang luxurious lifestyle, yung kanilang mga kubol, ay nilipat muna naming yung Bilibid 19 to the NBI detention facility dahil hindi namin alam kung saan sila ilalagay sa Bilibid.

So naghanap kami ng isang lugar sa Bilibid na kung saan puwede sila talaga puwede ilagay. So ang tinuro sa akin noon by the then director, si Frank Bucayo, was Building 14. So inumpisahan yung renovation and then in the meantime, a new BuCor director came in, and that is Dir. Gen. Rainier Cruz. So noong natapos yung renovation ng Building 14, si DG Cruz na, si Directro Rainier Cruz na ang director. So binalik namin from the NBI detention facility the Bilibid 19. And Building 14 used to house the death row convicts, but pina-renovate ko and converted it into a more secure facility. Pinalagyan ng mga CCTV and other measures were put in place to ensure na hindi na ulit nakakapag-transact.

Kasi ang pangta-transact nila was through cellphone and other communication gadgets. Hindi naman po totoo na doo sa loob mismo niluluto ang shabu o kung ano mang klase ng droga. Wala ho kaming nahanap na ganun. Halos imposible ho yun except if lahat magkakakuntsaba from the director up to the lowest ranking employee of the Bucor, but that's not the case. May mga nagloloko diyan pero hindi naman siguro lahat. Karamihan siguro nagloloko, especially the prison guards.

Now, so and then they will blame me for the proliferation of drugs? Hindi naman siguro tama iyon.

On the SolGen threatening to file a case against her for the proliferation of drugs

Anong ikakaso nila sa akin? I'm also involved in drugs, ganun ba yun? Hindi na ako magtataka kung ganun ang kanilang next move, they will start labeling me as a protector, a coddler also of drugs. It's crazy.

On whether she already has a resolution for initiating the inquiry on summary killings and when will she file it

Yes, we have a draft resolution already. Isasama ko ho yan sa second set of bills that I will file. Alam niyo naman yung naging procedure ngayon. Tapos na yung first round of the filing bills. I'm waiting for my turn, with respect to the second round. So isasama ko na po. There's a draft resolution already.

On the SolGen saying that her proposed Senate inquiry does not seem to be in aid of legislation

That's not for him to say that. Ako, sigurado ako sa sarili ko, sigurado po ako in filing the resolution that it will be in aid of legislation. Of course, I know what is the nature of Senate inquiry. I read the rules. It's in the Constitution. It's in the rules. It is a Senate inquiry in aid of legislation.

Napakalawak, very broad po ang authority ng Senate, or any of these committees, to conduct an in aid of legislation. And in fact, I reviewed again the rules, talagang malawak because it's about an inquiry that can be a re-examination of existing laws, an inquiry that is in connection with a proposed legislation, in other words, nandyan na yung proposed bill, or even an inquiry in aid of formulating a future legislation. So ganun ka-broad. And time and again, the Supreme Court has upheld the powers of the Senate, or any of its committees, to conduct an inquiry.

So nagkaroon na tayo ng maraming Senate inquiris sa mga very important issues in the country. Marami na, mga high-profile instances, high-profile cases, important issues and matters. And now they're saying that the thrust and the subject of my proposed inquiry is not important enough, they say it's not in aid of legislation.

On whether she is worried that individuals such as PNP chief Dela Rosa will refuse to cooperate as resource persons in the Senate inquiry

Nasa sa kanila na yan, but they have to take the consequences.

On her being seen by some as an obstructionist in President Duterte's crime-fighting advocacy

I'm not an obstructionist. Ang nakikita lang kasi nila, like this issue. Siyempre alam nila na I'm against death penalty, and definitely, I'm against extra-judicial and summary killings. Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin na kokontra na ako sa lahat ng magiging hakbang, sa lahat ng plano ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Marami rin namang mga sususportahan ko.

For example, FOI. And then of course the creation of that superbody to investigate media killings. Although, meron na ho niyan during the time of President Aquino, yung AO 35, interagency committee. And it's good that this administration is also forming its own superbody on that. And then yung mga anti-red tape. Well of course, how to address the traffic situation, the traffic crisis. Although titignan ko na muna the bill granting emergency powers to the President would be acceptable, depende ho yan sa parameters of that bill as to emergency powers. Kasi hindi naman ho basta-basta binibigay ang emergency powers. The resumption of peace talks, the going after Abu Sayyaf.

Marami naman ho tayong sinusuportahan. Kaya lang one of my objectives in pushing for the Senate inquiry into the spate of drug killings is how to be able to help in terms of strengthening this fight, this campaign without sacrificing human rights and without the law enforcers being forced to break the law.

On SolGen Calida and Sen. Lacson asking for evidence first before asking for a Senate inquiry, that a resolution is not enough

Unang-una, ngayon ko lang naririnig yan na kailangan muna ng tinatawag na complaint with supporting evidence bago magsagawa ng Senate inquiry. It's not in the rules. And then pangalawa, marami namang mga Senate inquiry noon na wala pang mga kaso na pina-file, pero nagko-conduct na ang Senate ng inquiry.

Examples--Mamasapano, PDAF, Kidapawan. The conduct of Senate inquiry--pina-research ko pa, pina-review ko--in those three cases that I've mentioned was prior to the filing of the formal complaints.

Mamasapano, if I'm not mistaken, the resolution as filed by several senators, including Sen. Grace Poe, was filed two days after the Mamasapano incident which happened January 25. And then the charges against those who were found to be responsible for that was filed months later.

PDAF, ganun din. August yung pag-file ng Senate resolution calling for inquiry, if I'm not mistaken, it was Sen. Chiz Escudero, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee conducted that but it was only in September na nag-file ng formal complaint ang NBI.

Kidapawan, ganun din yata. Earlier, yung conduct of the first inquiry, sinundan a few days later ng filing of administrative or criminal complaints.

So why the insistence now of a prior filing of a complaint when it's not in the rules and certain precedents show otherwise?

And kung naghahanap sila ng formal complaint, ituturo ko po sa kanila yung complaint ngayon na nasa CHR na. Di ba, meron nang nag-file ng complaint, yung galing sa, about the Pasay City, yung mag-ama na namatay. So that's the complaint. In fact, I'll be getting from CHR the data. Baka mayroon pang ibang mga complaints other than yung recent complaint nga na finile.

On the SolGen saying he will protect PNP personnel from cases that might arise in the conduct of their duty

That's okay. Okay lang naman yan because itong pagpu-push ko nga ng Senate inquiry, hindi ko naman layunin diyan ay para pahinain ang loob ng law enforcers natin. Gusto ko silang palakasin. And how do you do that? To ensure na ang ginagawa nila ay tama, ayon sa batas, ayon sa mga existing guidelines.

Kaya nga kung confident po ang ating mga kapulisan and this administration na aboveboard ang lahat ng mga kasong yan, ng killings ng drug suspects, then they should welcome any and all inquiries that are being conducted, that will be conducted.

Kasi iba-iba naman ang thrusts ng mga inquiries na yan. Iba ang thrust ng CHR, iba ang thrust ng Napolcom, and then the PNP's own inquiry, if there is, and then Senate inquiry. They should welcome that kung sigurado po sila na aboveboard lahat yan. Yan nga aalamin natin. Lahat ba yan aboveboard?

On whether it's even proper for the SolGen to be making such pronouncements when in the past it has come to the Senate's defense

Exactly. So I'm just wondering also why the SolGen has that tact now.

On what does she know about SolGen Calida

I don't know him. I just know him to be a former Usec. of DOJ. Hindi ko alam kung sino yung Secretary noon. I think Sec. Raul Gonzalez. So I've never met him. Hindi ko na siya naabutan na Usec. ng DOJ. So I don't know him personally so I don't see any reason why he should be so hostile.

On whether it's part of the SolGen's duty to defend PNP

Ibabalik ko na lang sa kanila yung, may kaso na ba sa kanila. Mayroon na ba siyang hinahawakan na kaso para depensahan niya ang PNP?

On whether the SolGen is acting upon a Palace directive

I wouldn't know. I wouldn't want to speculate on that. I wouldn't know.

On whether she sees a concerted effort to dissuade her this early from conducting the Senate inquiry

Yun nga ang pinagkakataka ko. Why is there such a reaction? As I've said, if they're confident na aboveboard lahat yan, sinusunod yung mga dapat sundin, yung mga patakaran, batas, at lalo na yung Saligang Batasm bakit ganyan ang reaction nila?

But I will not be intimidated. I will still push for my proposal to conduct a Senate inquiry. Unless, i-overrule ako ng karamihan ng aking mga colleagues, anong magagawa ko, kung halimbawa, they will overrule me.

On whether or not the Senate is the proper venue to conduct such an investigation

That's his prerogative, but yung Committee on Justice and Human Rights ay isang tamang komite na mag-imbestiga tungkol diyan. It can also be a joint inquiry ng relevant committees.

On the Pasay incident

There are several of those that's why I've said there are telltale signs na dun sa ilang kaso ng mga pagpapatay, yung mga napapabalita ay posible summary killings. Nakakaduda na karamihan ng mga eksplanasayon nang-agaw, nanlaban. Puro mga ganun eh.

And then hindi lang yung mga namamatay in the course of police operations--legitimate or not. Yung mga natatagpuan na lang diyan na salvaged, na mga diumano'y mga drug suspects din. So sinong mga pumapatay diyan? Vigilantes? Kasama yan sa imbestigasyon.

On whether she thinks the opposition to her proposed Senate inquiry is due to the fact that she came from the other side of the political fence

I don't know. I really don't know. Bakit sasabihin nila yun, on the other side of the political fence? Nakasama naman ako sa majority as part of the LP bloc, di ba. I'm part of the majority and that is why I'm supporting the Senate presidency bid of Sen. Koko.

On Sen. Cayetano warning earlier that those who are not with the supermajority are deemed obstructionists

That's his opinion. We do not agree. Saka alam niyo naman ang Senate. Senate will not and cannot be rubber stamp. Even if karamihan sa amin nasa majority, pagdating naman sa pagtalakay ng mga major pieces of legislation, makikita niyo na may kanya-kanya kaming posisyon diyan. But of course, in many cases it would be by consensus. In many cases, it will be consultative. We will be consulting each other. But at the end of the day, sarili naming mga posisyon ang ipapakita namin. That's how it is and that should be the case.

On whether she is open to the proposal of an Alcatraz-type of jail facility

Alcatraz? Agree po ako na magkaroon tayo ng isang facility na para masiguro na yung ating mga prisoners, lalo na yung mga high-risk, which include also these drug convicts, ay nababantayan nang husto.

But must it be an Alcatraz-like facility? Of course not. Wala na ho...there's no such thing anymore under modern correctional system. Kaya nga wala nang Alcatraz sa US eh. Meron na ring mga relevant UN guidelines on the minimum treatment of prisoners. At hindi kasama diyan yung totally ia-isolate mo to the extent na hindi na puwedeng bisitahin ang mga yan ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay.

Experience would show na yung mga talagang totally isolated lalo silang nagiging hardened criminals. There are studies to that effect. So you are not at all working for their possible reformation kung ganyan ang sistema--complete isolation. Hindi na po uso yan.

On tomorrow's release of the UN tribunal ruling on the South China Sea

I have expressed my confidence na favorable for the most part ang magiging ruling. Of course there are several issues, the main issue is yung validity nga ng 9-dash line theory ng China which according to our position, is violative of the UNCLOS. Yun ang pinakamalaking bagay yan if there is such a ruling from the arbitral tribunal saying that the 9-dash line theory is inconsistent with UNCLOS or has no basis in UNCLOS. So let's wait and depende nga kung ano ang ruling ng arbitral tribunal. The administration should be able to study what should be the next best steps.

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