PRESIDING SENATOR-JUDGE ESCUDERO:
(0:00:00) Noted, entered into the records. I would have recognized Senator Go first, but since you’re there already, Senator–Judge Alan Cayetano, you may proceed, sir.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:09) This is a manifestation and point of information. As Senator-Judge Lacson said, it’s for each judge to appreciate. But let me put context. I’m not close to VP Sara. I’m not close to Mayor Baste. Ang kasama ko sa Congress si former Deputy Speaker Pulong.
(0:00:33) But in the last four years, I think I’ve seen him twice or thrice.
WITNESS JEREMY LOTOC:
(0:00:37) Yes, Your Honor.
SENATOR-JUDGE ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:38) Okay. But my reading, nung sinabi ni Mayor Baste, is pag natulog ka sa gabi, remember the Romanovs. So we have to look at our history. The Romanovs were evicted via a revolution.
(0:00:55) Di ba? So, Mayor Baste was doing a parallel ng 1986, na paalis yung mga Marcoses via a revolution. But unlike the Romanovs, the Marcoses were given asylum or whatever you call it in Hawaii. And over time, nakabalik until the president became president. Ang Romanovs, inubos sila para nga hindi maka balik.
(0:01:20) Now, if Mayor Baste was making Romanovs, uubusin kayo Marcos, then dapat na-offend si Senator-Judge Imee Marcos because she’s a Marcos. So, secondly, if he made that threat, so if he was saying may Oplan Romanov or maro-Romanov kayo, I’m sure the PNP or PS…
(0:01:45) …the Presidential Security Command, the National Council, would have filed a case against [Mayor] Baste. So I just want…
(0:01:53) It’s fair that you mentioned him. It’s fair sa investigation mo. But I don’t think we should draw a conclusion here that Mayor Baste was threatening the first family. Because remember, there’s a thin line between a warning and a threat. So pag sinabi ko sa’yo ngayon, witness, pareho tayong abogado, Compañero, pareho tayong taga-Ateneo, mag-ingat ka sa sasabihin mo. That could be a fair warning. That could be not a threat, di ba?
(0:02:17) But kapag may threat talaga na pinarating ko sa’yo, pag hindi ko gusto, ano mo, kakasuhan kita. That could be an illegal threat, di ba? Pero pwedeng warning. So I just want that on the record, Mr. Presiding Officer, Mr. Senate President. Because everyone’s watching. And in the same manner, we have to be fair to the first family.
(0:02:39) We have to be fair also to Mayor Baste and to the Dutertes, rather than draw a conclusion that there was an actual. So, the Counsel for Defense was making a distinction. Mentioning Romanov and Oplan Romanov are two different things. It may be the same, it may be a different thing. For all we know, narinig ni Mayor Baste na sila iro-Romanov…
(0:03:02) Kaya binanggit niya pabalik. We don’t know. I don’t know. I haven’t discussed it with anyone. I haven’t discussed it with the few senators na kaibigan ko dito. So let’s just be circumspect and careful from making conclusions. But as far as it is relevant, Mr. Presiding Officer, I appreciate the answer of the witness. Thank you.
