Press Release
March 29, 2017

AMBUSH INTERVIEW - BARANGAY ELECTIONS, BENHAM RISE HEARING
2nd Floor Padilla Room, Senate of the Philippines

[start recording]

Sen Win: They were ably represented here and meron na silang mga binigay na position papers, meron na rin silang binigay na suggestions. Kaya kami nag-decide for a second hearing is because of the incident that happened in Benham Rise.

Q: Yong maritime activities ng China?

Sen Win: Yes. Yung maritime activities ng China which it was not covered during the first hearing. In fact, in the bill hindi kasama ang Defense at ang Coast Guard. And then, nangyari ito so the Committee decided that we should invite Defense and the Coast Guard to shed light on this matter and maybe if they think it is important we can include them as one of the members of BRDA.

Q: So you will get assurance from them na po-protektahan natin?

Sen Win: Yan ang makukuha natin. First of all, may threat ba? May banta ba dito sa Benham Rise? Pangalawa, legally, meron pa bang possible claim ang ibang bansa? We have to put in mind na there are gas methane hydrates, and methane hydrates is the fuel of the future. Pag naubusan ng oil, methane hydrates na yung next eh. With that potential, ang ibang mga bansa ba magkakaroon ng interes at meron ba tayong kakayahan na protektahan itong area natin? So yun ang mga tanong na gusto kong itanong sa ating mga resource persons para mas maging comprehensive itong BRDA Bill natin.

Q: So yun yung reason why you invited si Secretary Hermogenes Esperon?

Sen Win: Yes, definitely. I think he will cover the National Security issues in this region, Benham Rise Region ang tawag.

Q: Sir, with the proposal of the creation ng Benham Rise, gaano kabilis na mapapakinabangan natin kung ano man ang mayroon sa Benham Rise?

Sen Win: Meron tayong short-term, medium-term, at long-term. Short-term, definitely, ito yong mga biodiversity aspects, tourism, even yong food security. When we talk about long-term, we talk about energy source. In energy source, ito yong kasalukuyang dini-develop na technology para ma-harness yong methane hydrates.

Q: So, may capability tayo Sir?

Sen Win: Actually, wala pang capability in the world. New technology pa lang ito na dini-develop ng Japan primarily, but eventually, few years or seven years in the road, that technology is ready. Dapat alam na natin kung ano yong capacity nito ng Benham Rise in generating energy.

Q: So, possible na ang joint exploration may kasama tayong ibang bansa?

Sen Win: Yes, definitely because in our last hearing ng DENR at UP, kulang tayo sa equipment. May tao tayo, magagaling ang mga tao natin, ang problem is wala tayong equipment, wala tayong undersea water drones, wala tayong mga barko, so we will definitely do joint exploration.

Q: Sir,since former Senate President Nene Pimentel who is the father of Local Government Unit, he is against doon sa plano ng pangulo na i-postpone yong election at mag-elect na lang ng mga barangay officials, will you consider that opinion of Nene Pimentel?

Sen Win: Definitely. We will consider all opinion. Personally, if you go back to the original hearing regarding the first postponement sinabi satin ng DILG they postponed it for one year para makasuhan ang mga Barangay officials na involved sa drugs. Gusto natin malaman kung ano na ang nangyari sa mga kaso, dahil binigyan na natin ng 1 year time frame para makasuhan sila at matanggal sa pwesto.

Q: So walang ginawa ang DILG?

Sen.Win: Well, yun ang titignan natin, gusto natin malaman ang nangyari. Yan talaga ang original premise, in fact madami kami nagtanong about that. One of the reasons nga daw for the postponement ay para makasuhan itong mga barangay officials.

Q: So right now you are inclined to oppose?

Sen. Win: unang una, yung appointment needs to be studied carefully, if it's legal under a constitution, because under Section 8, di pinapayagan ang appointment. Kaya dapat pag-aralan mabuti kung ito ba ay lalabag sa constitution or hindi.

Q: Kasi sabi nga ni Mayor Nene, pano nga if meron mga Mayors na involved sa illegal drugs? Ganun na rin wala na rin elections?

Sen. Win: Kaya sakin, the main culprit here is the 40% of Barangay Kapitan involved in illegal drugs, yun ang dapat kasuhan at tanggalin natin. May mga mekanismo tayo para matanggal ang mga ito sa pwesto, either through local government, DILG, and the office of the President, the ombudsman and even the courts. We have five mechanisms to take them out. Gamitin natin ito para hindi sila makaupo sa pwesto.

Q: So possible na tatanggalin yung mga guilty and then by succession, di na kailangan i-appoint?

Sen. Win: Hindi, kasi yung first kagawad yung ma-aapoint. So kapag tinanggal mo yung kapitan, yung first kagawad yung aakyat. The law provides a mechanism for succession.

Q: So pwede succession na lang? so di na kailangan mag-appoint ni Pangulo?

Sen. Win: that's what the law provides--

Q: Pero matanggal na sila diba?

Sen. Win: Oo, mag e-eleksyon na sa October. Para sakin kasi, maraming kapitan na maganda yung ginagawa, like sa Valenzuela, all 33 kapitans amin are fighting drugs. Kapag tatanggalin lahat ng kapitan including yung mga matitino, unfair naman ata yan hindi naman ata tama. I think what we really need to do is go after that 40% of scalawag na kapitans.

Q: So sir, most probably hindi makalusot yung another postponement ng barangay elections?

Sen. Win: Ito ay pinag-uusapan ngayon, there is no definite answer. In fact in that meeting namin last Sunday, di rin na-conclude dahil we're still brainstorming yung mga legal, administrative and political consequences.

Q: So you're not in favor of appointing?

Sen. Win: Still studying.

Q: Still studying because you think it's illegal?

Sen. Win: still studying because there are many factors you need to consider, administratively, legally and politically. For example, kapag tinggal mo yung barangay kagawad and kapitan, hindi ma-aaprove ang funds kung walang approval ng sangunian. So kapag tinanggal mo sila, walang pondo, lahat ng BHW, Barangay tanod, Lupon ng tagamapayapa, barangay workers, tatanggalin mo yun. There will be a massive unemployment. 42,000 barangays.

Q: Kasi kapag nag-appoint ang pangulo, lahat ng appointees magiging loyal?

Q: Well, that's another side but the administrative consequences pag-aralan natin. Baka pag walang pondo yung Barangay, pano mag ooperate? Mapaparalyze yung health centers, at barangay operations. Pagkukuha nga ng sedula sa barangay yun. San ka ngayon kukuha ng sedula? Only the barangay sangunian can appropriate the funds.

Q: na elected you are saying?

Sen. Win: Yes.

Q: Sir advancer lang dito, ma totouch ba yung sa China, na nagtayo sila ng monitoring or surveillance sa Benham?

Sen. Win: I think that's part of the National Security briefing, and also the factual briefing ng NSA so I think kasama yan.

[end of recording]

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