SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:00:02) Only have a few minutes kasi may majority. Less of a caucus meeting just to create. Good afternoon everyone. We’re going to have a short majority caucus but we met over the weekend …inaudible… with the constitution and the rules …inaudible…
(0:01:14) Dahil precisely, hindi pwede namang sobrang daming priorities, we have to prioritize. So when I say organizing the Senate, that’s the committees, of course, any move to change the leadership is also a priority. That’s the prerogative of anyone, anytime.
REPORTER:
(0:01:46) Sir, kasi nung Friday, kayo rin po yung nagsabi na mo ay may kumakausap from minorities sa mga members ng majority. How stable is your majority block? May mga nagpaalam na po ba sa inyong lilipat sa kabila?
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:01:59) As of last night and as of yung sa group namin a few minutes ago, it’s more all rumors. Pero hindi nagbago yung sinabi ko sa inyo. There were meetings that took place, calls from both sides, may enticement, may pananakot.
(0:02:17) To be fair, it’s not all willing and dealing. May appeal to the country, appeal to ganito, ganyan, etc. But as I said doon sa ating bishops at pastors who prayed for the nation today dito sa Senate, yung attack on the Senate started naman in 2023, di ba? Nung gusto nilang i-abolish ang Senate.
(0:02:41) And I really believe that the events in the last few months was also intentional na ma-weaken ang Senate because bubuhayin yung constitutional change except this time around, regional Senate ang gusto nila. But to do that, part of the enticement is that may term extension and then yun nga, regional Senate. In theory, maganda yun kasi each will have their senators.
(0:03:12) But the reality is, if you have 36, 48, 60 senators, yung possibility na maging rubber stamp, nandun talaga. So at this time of crisis, I don’t take it against anyone of thinking about political reforms, whether maganda yung motibo o hindi. Pero nagihirap ang tao. So whether you talk about electricity, agriculture, prices of gamot, prices of rice, dun muna sana.
(0:03:41) Having said that, kanya-kanyang pananaw yan. Iba pananaw din nila sa Senate leadership. Yung anyone but Cayetano, nung nag-attempt kami noong February, yung kandidato namin yun, yun din ang sinabi sa amin. Anyone but siya. So ang point ko, I think it’s more of anyone that they cannot control.
REPORTER:
(0:04:04) Sir, isa na lang sa akin, as of 2.03 ngayong hapon, you have 13, sir. Can you say that?
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:04:10) To the best of my knowledge, wala namang dun sa aming kamusta, check, usap tayo mamaya, punta dito. So now, if pag-usap namin, biglang may kakausap sa amin, that’s beyond my control. So meaning, as of Saturday and Sunday, so nag-meet pa kami Saturday, usap, made calls. Hindi ko naman nakausap lahat yesterday, talked to some. Okay pa lahat, sabi yung walang bibigay, pero grabe ang pressure. At saka talagang pinag-aaway. Sinasabi daw, may 13 na, may 14. So as of this morning, 7 o’clock, 7.35, 8 o’clock, may tumatawag na.
(0:04:50) So, okay. Wala namang hindi sumasagot sa chat groups at sa communication namin. Having said that, if may palitan naman, it would be smart naman to tell us in the last minute. So, it would be smart to tell in the last minute and I won’t take it against them. So, simple lang yan. Kung nilagay ako dito ng Panginoon for an 8-day mission, tatanggapin ko yun.
(0:05:16) Pero kung ang mission ko is simulang yung impeachment, tatanggapin ko rin yun. Yung isang senyales saakin doon, kung gaano kadali na nakuha ko Senate Precidency, gaano kadali in the sense that… saan ka nakakita, labing dalawa, hindi mo nililigawan, hindi mo pinapangakuan ng committees or kung ano man, lahat ng kapangyarihan around this earth, ginamit against pero there’s sticking together, ituloy natin.
(0:05:42) So it’s a privilege serving you, serving our people, serving the Senate. But pag sinabi nilang iiba-direction, I will respect that.
REPORTER:
(0:05:50) Tanggap mo sir? Sorry to ask, if you will be the shortest serving SP, sir?
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:05:56) It’s not how long your life is, it’s how meaningful it is. Some people live 100 years and say, where has the time gone? The Lord Jesus lived a little bit over 30 years, pero in three years, nagawa niya lahat ng gusto niyang gawin. Of course, I’m human. I think I can do much more if it’s eight months rather than eight days, but that’s not in my control. Okay.
REPORTER:
(0:06:23) Hi, sir. Sir, your reaction lang po. Merong mga calls for your resignation. What happened? Binabanggit po yung pag-alis ni Senator Bato, the shooting incident. And si Director Matibag also said you should be held accountable. Your reaction to all these?
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:06:38) Okay. Hindi pa naman ako, SP, pinagre-resign na ako na ako eh. Itong buhay ko naman, ganun eh. So, certain people are called for the job.
(0:06:48) So, even before I took office as Senate President, tinanong ko sa labing dalawa, bakit ako? And may reason kung bakit ako. Maybe because I was there during the time of crisis. Remember, nung pandemic, nag break ang Senate di ba. Ang House, mas marami kami, gusto nila mag break kami. Sabi ko hindi pwede. Kailangan makita nila may gobyerno.
(0:07:13) Konti na lang siguro tayo dito. I don’t blame naman yung mga nag suggest sa akin Wednesday night na wala daw pasok the next day Thursday at i-cancel lahat. Sabi ko, hindi pwede. Kailangan makita nila may gobyerno dito. So, ang message ko sa NBI, hindi nyo natibag ang Senado. Under Alan Cayetano, hindi nyo natibag ang Senado. So, kung sino man, if I continue or may papalit sa akin, okay, ulitin ko ha.
(0:07:41) During my watch, hindi nyo natibag ang Senado. Now, if I remain or kung papalitan ako, sana hindi matibag ang Senado. The Senate is a target because we are the last line of defense sa pagdating ng hindi impartial na impeachment. We’re the last line of defense sa budget. We’re the last line of defense sa charter change.
(0:08:08) We’re the last line of defense sa kung merong gustong yumurak o sumira sa ating democracy. I’m not saying I eh. We, the Senate. But leadership matters. Di ba? So, dun sa nagsasabing take responsibility, kayo pumasok dito, kayo namaril eh. Tapos kami pagre-resign ninyo. Kayo mag-resign. Di ba? Pati yung mga ibang nagsasabing take responsibility for the shooting. I take responsibility for my reaction.
(0:08:38) D iba? So, kung mamato ako dito, batuhin nyo ako pabalik, kayo magre-resign. Ako namato eh. The one who takes, you take responsibility for your action. So, I will take responsibility for my reaction. How I handled everything. But I cannot take responsibility for them shooting at us. Confirmed na. May gunpowder yung hinuli. Sa loob ng Senado hinuli yun. Until this… inaudible.
(0:09:08) May nagsasabi na… inaudible… na ang NBI daw nasa GSIS wala daw dito sa loob at hindi daw nagpaputok. So makikita mo, there’s lying all over going around. If they can lie with that simple thing, di ba? So sabi ko nga sa grupo namin, guys, hindi pwedeng maging general rule yung ginawa ng NBI. Tinetesting nila yung Senado. Unfortunately, dati, maraming nag-invoke dun sa spirit ni Salonga, Recto, Tañada, Osmeña, Rojas, yung ating mga greates, di ba. In the past, pagka in-attack ang Senate, nagka-come together lahat ng Senador. Ngayon, ano na eh, algorithm at political bias na. That’s what’s sad about it. All the evidence is there.
(0:10:00) It’s beyond our control na, like sa inyo, di ba? Pag dumating na sa editor, dumating na sa final, dumating sa live interviews, hindi niyo kontrolado lahat yun. Pero yung personal experience niyo at personal testimony niyo, meaning, pag tinanong kayo ng kapatid nyo, anak niyo, pag uwi niyo, ano ba talaga nangyari? Eh, eyewitness din kayo eh.
(0:10:22) So, yun din ang ano ko sa inyo. Kung I witness kayo and you think I did wrong, I won’t take it against you for calling for the resignation. But if you’re telling me na kontrolado ko yung NBI, so dun sa nagsabing scripted, ang galing ko naman na pati NBI is under my command pala. There’s no reason to. Many of those who are calling for my resignation are political operators.
(0:10:50) Dati na silang may meaning. Nung nasa DFA ako, resign Alan. Nung nasa speaker’s office ako, resign Alan. Nung minority leader ako, resign Alan. Nag-ano lang ngayon, nag-echo lang ngayon dahil nga sa mga pangyayari. But for me, it’s concerted effort from day one to get me out because they want someone they can control. The only thing I promise the 13 is I follow God.
(0:11:18) And following God is easy if you know exactly what He’s telling you to do. Pero if you have five decisions to make and all of them are godly decisions, hindi madali mag-discern na ano ba tapat gawin. So for example, as long as I tell the truth that’s godly, but do I extend a friendly hand in friendship?
(0:11:44) Do I tell everyone, let’s work together or do I pound the table muna para alam nilang hindi pwedeng ganito yung Senate. Those are everyday decisions that needs wisdom and I’m not claiming to have all the wisdom. But uulitin ko lang, collaboration, okay. Pero yung sunod-sunod kami sa inyo at hawak nyo kami sa leeg, hindi pwede yun. Collaboration, our government needs collaboration.
(0:12:12) The three great branches of government, Judiciary, [Executive, and Legislative] executive, have to work together. Senate [and] House, we have to work together. But yung sasabihin mag-surrender or puppet SP ka, hindi ka tatanggalin. Pero kung ano sabihin namin, sumunod ka. Sorry, hindi ko style yun.
REPORTER:
(0:12:37) Hi, SP. Hingi lang po kami ng status ni OSAA, Aplaska. Kung suspended po ba siya? And si Sec Dong po…
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:12:46) Thank you for that question.
REPORTER:
(0:12:48) Pero sir lang si Sec. Dong Mendoza nag-resign daw po. To be fair kay Sec. Dong, siguro a few minutes after mag-resign yung dating OSAA, he told me na magre-resign siya. I told him I want him around.
(0:13:03) And then, sorry, hindi ko lang alam yung exact date. He actually handed me a written resignation. And dati ko naman siyang kaibigan. Never ko siyang kapartido. But he’s always been forthright with me. Always had worked in candor. Alam ko naman yung, alam niya, biases ko. Alam ko biases niya. And then, he could have gone home Wednesday night nung marami nagchi-chismisan na umuwi na kayo or maraming nagte-text-an na umuwi na kayo but he stayed so actually sa isang news ko nakita yun this morning so I haven’t talked to any of them I went straight to the hearing ni Senator Pia on electricity high prices of electricity then to the prayer for the nation then here so I’ll deal with that kung kay Sec Dong.
(0:13:58) And then kay OSAA, there are three options kasi. There’s a legal memo prepared for me to discuss with the legal team. I’d like to thank, di ba, nasa internet pinost naman ni attorney Tolentino, Mark, no? Mark Tolentino. Na, you know, may separation of powers kasi. And then may certain officials na pwede i-suspend o hindi. And everyone was emotional during the weekend. Kaya nga Saturday sabi ko prayer and reflection.
(0:14:29) Hindi ko na sinagot yung kay Ombudsman na walang nagtanggap dito. Kasi wala naman tayong trabaho ng Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Wala naman official na pwedeng tumanggap. To my knowledge, wala naman yung subpeona. CCTV, walang question doon. Kung may miscommunication, it was cleared up naman, di ba? It’s not true na walang CCTV. Meron, pero the lights were out eh. So, hindi lahat sing linaw nung iba. Number two, as soon as…
(0:14:57) Secretary Jonvic called me, yun ang una niyang hiningi, secure the CCTVs. When he got here, inulit ko sa harap, two copies. Sabi ko, gumawa kayong two copies, pero sa harap nila kayo gumawa ng two copies para alam yung original. So yung isa na sa PNP or I don’t think it’s with the DILG, I think it’s with PNP. So, dun sa DOJ at saka sa ombudsman, huwag sila mangamba na matamper yun kasi hawak na ng gobyerno right after the incident.
(0:15:34) But as far as NBI and DOJ investigating, suspect sila eh. So paano sila mag-iimbestiga? That’s why nga pumayag ako ng joint investigation kasi I am sure that someone will point the fingers sa mga taga-… inauble. So kung suspect ka rin, hindi pwedeng ikaw lang mag-iimbestiga. That’s why I also appeal to all of you whoever has videos, to the proper authorities kasama namin.
(0:16:00) So actually, I’ve been scanning the news and internet at kung ano man videos lumalabas doon, kinukuha din namin para maayos natin in a very logical and scientific manner.
REPORTER:
(0:16:13) So, clarification lang po. Si OSAA Aplaska, pati po si Sec. Dong…
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:16:19) I’ll update you maybe in an hour or two kung anong decision. And I promised also both the majority and the whole 24 senators na magiging consultative or consensus yung aming decision making. So, I don’t think yung whether or not yung suspend. Remember, he’s acting ha.
(0:16:42) So, hindi naman siya regular Sergeant-at-Arms. Meaning, he should also have an option na kung ayaw na niya. But he’s been there, he’s been reporting, he’s doing his job. I don’t think he deserves this, but sabi niya, Sir, sundalo ako, sanay ako dyan.
REPORTER:
(0:17:05) Inaudible
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:17:08) We haven’t made a decision. We haven’t made a decision. Kasi one …inaudible… is sundin yung legal opinion na it’s the Senate that can suspend, hindi sila. And one is to suspend, pero to question sa CA. The other one is sila mag-question sa CA. So there’s really a thousand decisions that have to be made, but I just want to focus on convening as an impeachment court, organizing the Senate para wala nang magsabi-sabi na delay.
(0:17:39) Beside those two priorities, then we can, pwede natin isa-isahin kung ano man ang mga kailangan natin gawin.
REPORTER:
(0:17:45) So, your priority is committee chairmanship.
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:17:50) Organizing the Senate in general. So, that, right now, that means the committee chairmanship.
REPORTER:
(0:17:55) Chairmanship and convening impeachment court. Pero pag may tumayo to change leadership, hindi Inaudible harapin. So, may kung may tumayo po, … inaudible.
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:18:07) Inaudible… sila naman sasabi, or kakampi nila kung hindi sila… inaudible… na-delay namin yung impeachment. So, kung gusto nilang i-delay, i-delay nila. You know, I’ve been in the Senate long enough na kahit majority ka, kung gusto mo talagang i-delay, maraming [pwedeng] gawin eh. Di ba? Sabay-sabay lang kayo tumayo, madi-delay mo. But I’m expecting a very naman na decent and honorable exchange mamaya.
REPORTER:
(0:18:35) Change of leadership. Ipu-push nyo…inaudible… majority lang. Thank you.
SP ALAN PETER CAYETANO:
(0:18:39) Sa move to change leadership, priority yun. So, if you look at the Constitution, getting the Senate organized is the priority. How can you convene the court if you’re not organized? How can you hearings if you’re not organized? Ano yung mga constitutional mandates? Siyempre, mandate is lost, pero everyday yun. But to convene, and given the national clamor or trauma, whatever side you’re on, may mawawala ba na we convene, and start the process. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Thanks, guys.
