WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:00:00) …ang totoo yung sinabi ng presidente na pinatawan na niya.
DEFENSE VINLUAN:
(0:00:05) Alright, but I’ll move on to a different point.
PRESIDING SENATOR-JUDGE ESCUDERO:
(0:00:08) Before counsel for the respondent continues, what is the pleasure of Senator-Judge Cayetano?
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:15) Just one specific clarification on that point, just so that we don’t lose the point with your permission.
PRESIDING SENATOR-JUDGE ESCUDERO:
(0:00:18) The gentleman may proceed.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:21) Excuse me lang sa prosecution and sa defense. Witness, one point lang. Maybe one or two question on that point. Sabi mo, the President sa pananaw mo and yung iba, Speaker Martin, felt threatened.
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:00:37) Base doon sa investigation namin.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:39) Base sa investigation at base sa video.
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:00:43) Base sa video, sa investigation at sa ibang testimony.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:45) So if they felt threatened, that means tingin nila totoo yung sinabi ni VP Sara na patayin sila. Kasi they wouldn’t feel threatened if they don’t think na she meant it na patayin silang tatlo, right?
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:01:04) In our investigation, they… tinrato nila yung utterances as seryoso.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:01:09) Yes. So they won’t feel threatened unless tingin nila seryoso yung threat.
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:01:14) According to them, seryoso yung threat.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:01:16) Yes. Okay. But the threat was, pag pinatay niyo ako, papatayin ko kayo. So, kung hindi naman nila sila balak patayin, why would they feel threatened? Unless you’re saying now, you think, balak nga nilang papatay si Vice President.
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:01:32) Actually, sir, ito, from the point of view of law enforcement like us, yun nga yung naging alarming na issue doon sa amin, sir ah…
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:01:42) I agree. I’m also… Mr. Witness, I’m also alarmed with the language, with saying that. I’m alarmed with what’s happening in our country, in flood control, etc. But that’s not my point. My point is, in your investigation, para maging grave threat, kailangan yung party na tinreaten feels threatened. Pero ang sinabi ni VP Sara, pag pinatay ako, patayin silang tatlo. So kung wala naman silang tatlo balak na patayin siya, why would they feel threatened? Did that not come into your mind as an investigator?
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:02:13) What comes into your mind, Your Honor, is yun nga, yung…
(0:02:17) Yung possibility na God forbids may mangyari sa VP na hindi naman alam ng tatlo, then mati-trigger ngayon yung instruction, then papatayin yung tatlo na hindi naman nila alam. At the same time, may mga ibang grupo…
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:02:29) Then in that case, hindi ba logical because you’re the President of the Philippines, you order the PSC to make sure that walang mangyari sa kanya rather than baliktad na tinanggalan siya ng security.
(0:02:41) I’m just following your logic. I won’t argue. Finish your… I’m satisfied, Mr. President. I’m just trying to figure out nga, no? How you came about yung grave threats given ang sinabi niya kung papatayin ako. So, finish your answer so that we…
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:02:55) We qualify that grave threats sa term namin as event-based condition na yun nga, pag nangyari yung event, mag-trigger ngayon yung threat ng Vice President. Now, in so far as na-threaten sila, yung sinasabi mo po, sir, na pag namatay si Vice President, tsaka papatayin ngayon ng tao na inutusan niya, yung tatlo.
(0:03:25) Ang isa sa alarming, na very alarming part na nakita namin, yung mga sasakay ho na grupo po eh. Kasi, God forbid, pwedeng mawala ang bise-presidente but not necessarily sila yung dahilan. Pwedeng namatay siya for one reason or the other. And then, ang impression na ng marami, ang may kasalanan nito, yung tatlo. So, again, magkakalabo-labo na yan.
(0:03:52) May sasakay na sa issue. Thinking na pag pinatay nila yung tatlo, ang sisisihin ngayon yung kampo ni Vice Presidente kasi may utterances na ginawa ang bise-presidente to that effect. So, yun ho yung sa investigation namin. Now, in so far as, pumasok ho yung elements ng grave threats. Yeah, we believe na pumasok yung elements ng grave threats kasi na-satisfy ho lahat ng elements ng grave threat based on the revised penal code .
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:04:23) I’m assessing your answer but malayo na malapit yung sagot mo dun sa triggering events. Kasi parang logical, di ba? Dahil sinabi niya yun, baka may gumawa. Hindi nga eh, magti-trigger, papatay sa kanya. So para matrigger na patayin ang Pangulo, you’re saying that VP Sara is asking other people to kill her so that they can kill Marcos.
(0:04:47) Edi sana, sinabi na lang niya, patayin niyo si Marcos. Sabi mo ay trigger. But anyway, I’m trying to process. But hindi logical yung sinabi mo, that event will trigger. Because the event that will trigger the assassination on the tree is the killing of the Vice President. And the Vice President will not tell people, kill me so that you kill them.
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:05:05) Precisely, Your Honor, ang death kasi, for instance, mamatay ang bise-presidente, it does not necessarily follow na yung tatlo yung nag papatay base dun sa utterances. Pwede kasing mamatay ang bise-presidente for one reason or the other.
(0:05:20) And again, since walang makakaalam kung sino ang pumatay dyan, ang impresyon ng mga tao ngayon, mati-trigger ngayon yung instruction. Pag na-trigger yung instruction, pwede na ngayon sumakay ang iba-ibang grupo, thinking na kahit mabulilyaso ang sisisihin dito, ang bise-presidente, kasi nga, may utterances na ginawa ang bise-presidente in public. From the point of view of law enforcement, ang gulo nun, Your Honor, matter of national security. It’s a matter of national security.
PRESIDING SENATOR-JUDGE ESCUDERO:
(0:05:49) Counsel for the respondent may proceed with his cross [examination].
