Press Release
February 20, 2017

Transcript of Ambush Interview with Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III

Senate President Koko Pimentel: The Senate would reserve its comments on the Senator Leila de Lima issue until something more concrete happens.

Q: Pero sir, di ba yun ang naging agenda ng caucus for today?

SPKP: Nagusap usap nga pero that is the point. Bakit nga naman natin pinangungunahan ang korte. Actually, we have to respect the independence of the judiciary. We should not even predict or anticipate and publicly state what the court should do.

Hintayin na po natin ang gagawin ng korte. Basta yun lang 'yun. And then of course, theoretically speaking, if a member of the Senate is arrested, we are all concerned about the safety of that person. Yun lang po yun. The primordial consideration would be the safety of the person arrested.

Q: Ano ang pwedeng gawin ng Senate to make sure that member will be safe?

SPKP: Wala pa po. Saka na po namin paguusapan yan kapag konkreto na pong may nangyayari.

Q: Can a senator be arrested inside the Senate premises?

SPKP: Ganun lang po yun. We go back to basic principles of respecting the institution. No arrest during session and no arrest inside the Senate premises but definitely with proper corrdination with the OSAA it can be done immediately outside the Senate premises.

Wala pong problema. Baka nga lahat ng pinaguusapan natin will become moot and academic if the person to be arrested presents himself/ herself to the court voluntarily. So hindi na po natin to masyadong pinoproblema.

Q: If the Senate President has spoken to Senator de Lima

SPKP: Wala. Hindi pa kami naguusap ni Senator de Lima.

Q: If the Senate President will make a request to PNP to keep Senator de Lima safe

SPKP: Yun lang yung concern namin pero wala pa kasi eh. Pagdating siguro ng warrant of arrest saka na kami magkonkretong announcement kung kailangan ba ng letter. Basta dun po sa informal caucus namin, theoretically speaking, if a senator is arrested, we are concerned about that person's personal safety.

Q: Sir, did you try to communicate with the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) itong no arrest during session and no arrest inside the Senate premises?

SPKP: Hindi concern ng korte po yun. Concern po yan ng law enforcers serving the arrest warrant.

Q: Will you communicate this with them or are you expecting na alam na nila?

SPKP: They know that already.

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