TRANSCRIPT - AMBUSH INTERVIEW of Sen. JV Ejercito
On the Senators' dinner with President Duterte

Q: Nabanggit po ba yung kay Gina Lopez, sir? SJVE: Hindi nabanggit. It was more of personal, very light conversation. Parang kamustahan din.

Q: First time din sir na kayong lahat?

SJVE: (Yes) na ganito siguro karami. Mayroon kami by groups before. Pito or minsan siyam. So ngayon lang (ito).

Q: And the President called and invited all of you kagabi? Siya ang nag-initiate nito?

SJVE: I remember it is the Senate President who said that we've just got an invitation, so pumunta kami. Very light iyon and to be honest with you, wala kaming halos pinag-usapan na major issue. Ni hindi nabanggit yung aming mga investigation, walang binanggit.

Q: Kahit yung kay Sec. Lopez, wala po?

SJVE: Wala din. Parang hinahayaan niya kami eh. More of kamustahan. Kinakamusta bawat isa, sinong re-electionist, sinong matatapos ang term. More of socials siguro.

Q: Sir, yung mga nawala sa majority napag-usapan po ba ninyo?

SJVE: Hindi rin eh. It was nothing serious. It was a very light mood. Ang pinaka-seryoso lang yung war against drugs na of course, iyon yung medyo mahaba as usual. And then konting tax reform.

Q: The dinner lasted for how long, sir?

SJVE: Two hours. Mga 10 tapos na. Maaga lang.

Q: Ano yung saktong sinabi niya about sa war against drugs ?

SJVE: Well, the need. Kinuwento niya yung circumstances. Isipin mo 40% ng mga barangays are infected or affected, so marami. And he also again showed the list na napakarami dun. Maraming mga barangay captains, some local officials. Yung iba pinakita lang kung gaano kakapal, pero ito clean na ito kumpara doon sa last year na mas makapal. Iyon medyo mas manipis na ng konti, pero sabi niya ganito pa rin karami.

Q: Sir, death penalty po?

SJVE: Death penalty ay hindi rin napag-usapan. In fairness to the President, wala siyang hiniling, wala siyang itinulak, wala siyang in-endorso, wala siyang tinanong tungkol sa investigation, so very light lang.

Q: Hindi ba implied na iyon kahit hindi niya sabihin? Meron siyang message na gustong iparating?

SJVE: Sino, sino?

Q: Ang President.

SJVE: Well, I don't think so. Siguro wala namang masama. I think it's a very healthy discussion on issues. Although very light ang mood, pero nababanggit din paminsan-minsan yung mga hard issues. Napag-usapan sandali ang railways na aking itinutulak na talagang itutuloy na niya. Paminsan-minsan pumapasok yung mga issue. I think it's very healthy. Wala naman sigurong masama na mag-usap din ang Pangulo at ang mga miyembro ng Senado para at least nagkaka-intindihan kami sa mga bagay at sa mga kailangan.

Q: How did you all respond doon sa sinasabi ng President? Did all the senators agree doon sa sinasabing war on drugs,?

SJVE: Well, nakinig kami because he was just justifying. He said the reasons why Oplan Tokhang or Oplan Double Barrel has to resume. Sabi niya hawak niya yung kutsara. Kapag binitawan mo iyan, mawawala na iyan. Kinakailangan kumbaga, hindi mo pwe-pwedeng bitawan. Especially I understand being a former local official like him, sabi ko mahirap talaga pag binitawan mo iyan... Nandoon na tayo eh, we cannot just back out. We cannot back down.

Q: Sir, hindi ba siya parang loyalty check with all the destabilization issues?

SJVE: Wala eh. Baka. Pero wala talagang pinag-usapan na medyo mabigat na issue. Ni tanong, kahit investigation, ni kahit in passing hindi talaga nabanggit. So more of, since it's the first time na ganito kalaki, more of social talks.

Q: Sir, nabanggit si Senator De Lima?

SJVE: Si Senator De Lima, parang hindi nga rin nabanggit. Hindi nabanggit to be fair. Yung mga kasama namin sa minority, wala namang nabanggit si Presidente.

Q: Sir, kailan yung schedule niyo? Kailan kayo na-invite? Kailan kayo nasabihan?

SJVE: Monday? Or Thursday last week, nakakuha ako ng advisory from the Senate President.

Q: Sir, lahat ba ng majority yun? So yung mga wala...

SJVE: They were invited. Senator Lacson had some guests, mga International Police Officers. Si Senator Honasan naman birthday niya. So yung dalawa lang yung kulang. Meron pa pala si Senator Chiz from Majority.

Q: Sir, how about Martial Law?

SJVE: Martial Law?

Q: Napag-usapan?

SJVE: All the more hindi pinag-usapan yun kasi medyo mas mabigat na usapin yun eh. Ang pinaka-mabigat na, siguro ang pinaka masasabi nating seryosong topic was again the War Against Drugs, yung usual pitch ni Presidente. And then probably kay De Lima, hindi ko masabi parang napaka-ikli eh.

Q: So nabanggit nga si De Lima, sir? Kahit pabiro or something?

SJVE: Pabiro siguro konti, malayo ako eh.

Q: Ano sir yung biro?

SJVE: He only said the evidence against her, parang international intelligence supplied. It's not only the locals who supplied the intel report against De Lima. Hanggang dun lang, parang yun lang ang naalala ko sa ngayon.

Q: Sir, seryoso yun ah? Pero in-explain?

SJVE: In-explain lang niya na talagang meron, kumbaga hindi trumped up charges. That there's a basis for filing the charges. Kasi even international intelligence.

Q: Sir, tax reform po, napag-usapan?

SJVE: Tax reform kasi I think the President found out that there are some senators who have apprehensions dahil nga medyo natataasan. Like for example, I'm not in favor of the increase in taxes of petroleum products. Yung iba naman sa excise. Although we favor the increase, masyado lang steep. So ang tanong lang siguro, sana mag-usap-usap now on how we can come up with an acceptable Tax Reform Measure Package. Medyo natataasan kasi ang maraming senators sa proposed Tax Reform na galing sa Department of Finance. It was Secretary Dominguez who first presented it months ago with some senators as well. Kaya lang medyo nataasan lang, so iyon lang. Iyon lang ang pinaka-seryoso dun. Iyon lang talaga.

Q: Thank you, sir. Sir, are you willing to investigate the accusations against Cesar Montano?

SJVE: Hindi ko alam kung ano talaga ang issues against Cesar Montano. But again, siguro it will be also good to have an investigation for him to be able to hear his side. Kasi kawawa rin naman kung nabubugbog siya sa media, sa social media. So every time na may investigation, maganda rin na yung panig ng tao naririnig. Siguro magandang mai-pahayag ito.