Transcript of Interview of Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon

Q: On Faeldon's ethics complaints

Drilon: Para sa akin wala pong karapatan na magdemanda sa ethics committee si Mr. Faeldon hanggang hindi niya nirerespeto ang proseso ng blue ribbon committee, dahilan sa sinabi niya na hindi siya haharap sa blue ribbon hanggang nandiyan si Sen. Lacson at Sen. Trillanes. Talagang dapat siyang i-cite in contempt. Hangga't hindi siya humaharap sa komite at sagutin ang mga tanong, hindi siya pwedeng pakawalan hangga't hindi tapos ang termino ng 17th congress, dahilan sa contemptuous conduct ang kaniyang ipinakita. May kasabihan kaming mga abugado na "he who comes to the court must come with clean hands." Kaya dito, ina-apply natin, hindi siya pwedeng humarap sa ethics committee at humiling na parusahan si Senators Lacson at Trillanes hangga't hindi niya sinusunod ang proseso ng senado sa blue ribbon kung saan siya naka-subpoena at dapat siyang mag-testify.

Q: For the record, unanimous yung decision kanina? Drilon: Sa committee on ethics, sinabi ko na huwag nating kilalanin ang complaint ni Mr. Faeldon hangga't hindi siya sumusunod sa patakaran ng senado kasama roon ang patakaran ng blue ribbon na humarap sa blue ribbon at mag-testify. That was unanimously approved by the committee.

Drilon: The detention in the senate has no period; it's up to the end of this congress. If he refuses to appear before the blue ribbon committee, then he just remains in detention.

Q: Even if yung hearing is terminated na, he will stay?

Drilon: We should not terminate until we compel him to appear, because if there is that rule, aba hindi na lang ako sisipot. Magpa-contempt ako tapos afterwards ite-terminate na yung hearing, does that mean that the citation for contempt is already academic?

Drilon: I will repeat, the purpose of citing them in contempt is to compel them to testify. That's the rule. The detention is not a penalty but a form of coercion for them to appear.

Q: So the hearings should not be terminated until he testifies?

Drilon: That's my view.

Q: The detention should limit his activities...he keeps on facing the media?

Drilon: He is not a detention prisoner.

Q: May expiration kapag nag-adjourn ang senate?

Drilon: To me, the contempt of the committee is the contempt of the senate. That's the rule. To me he should stay there until the 17th congress adjourns. Hindi naman pwede na hindi ako haharap sa blue ribbon hangga't nandiyan si Sen. Lacson at Sen. Trillanes. Supposed Juan dela Cruz and every resource person take that position "hindi ako haharap kapag nandiyan si Sen. Sotto, Sen. Drilon", paano naman kami? What will happen in the senate if the resource person is given that privilege and authority not to appear in the hearing because they do not like to answer questions of senators. Today Faeldon says I do not want to appear as long as Sens. Lacson and Trillanes are there; tomorrow, a resource person, say Juan dela Cruz, says "I do not want to appear so long as Sen. Sotto is in the committee"; and the next day, Pedro will not appear so long as Sen. Drilon is in the committee. What will happen to the senate processes of asking for the presence of resource persons.? Precisely this power to contempt is a coercive power in order to compel them to provide us testimony to aid us to craft laws in aid of legislation. His conduct is really contemptuous because he refuses to appear and he disrespects the processes of the senate. And my view is, if he disrespects the processes of the blue ribbon, he has no right to appear before the ethics committee and ask for a remedy and a relief.