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Koko: Zubiri's resignation 'better late than never'


Live nakapanayam ni Jessica Soho sina Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri at Koko Pimentel, ilang oras lang matapos nag-resign si Zubiri sa senado dahil sa mga alegasyong nandaya ito sa eleksyon noong 2007. Basahin ang buong transcript ng interview kay Pimentel. Mag-click dito para basahin naman ang transcript ng interview kay Zubiri. JS: At ngayon back to back. Kasama ho naman natin ngayon dito sa studio, si… ano ba itatawag namin sayo, hindi pa ‘no? Atty. Aquilino Pimentel III, magandang gabi po.   Pimentel: Magandang gabi, Jessica at sa lahat po ng ating televiewers.   JS: Quick reaction po doon sa lahat ng sinabi ni Senador Zubiri.   Pimentel: Well, itong paliwanag ni Migz ngayon mas maganda kaysa sa speech niya. Medyo yung speech niya kanina kulang eh at saka yun na nga, meron pang mga denial doon. Pero ngayon maganda itong sinabi niya na, you know, ang naging trigger pala is yung paglabas ni Bedol, paglabas ni Zaldy Ampatuan kasi nabuo na yung picture of the fraud in Maguindanao. So that’s good. Pero actually, matagal naman akong kumbinsido na sa fraud. It took him long to be convinced pero at least dumating tayo dun sa punto na na-convince din siya na may fraud.   JS: Atty. Pimentel, ano po bang nalalaman niyo dito sa 12-0 na operations ng Team Unity allegedly noong 2007 elections? Dahil kayo po 'yung, if we are to believe the story na sa inyong version naman, kayo ang biktima noon?   Pimentel: Right. Ang version namin backed up by evidence, ballots. Plus lately witnesses, testimonies. Sa Maguindanao noong 2007, 12-0, panalo talaga ang Team Unity. Walang nanalong Genuine Opposition doon--13 kami nag-umpisa. And then, ang kaduda-duda pa doon, there were 37 candidates for senator, (at) 18 ang (nakakuha ng) zero (na boto sa) buong probinsya. Imposible namang mangyari. Common sense will tell us (that's) impossible. And then, 'yun na nga, 'yung nabanggit ni Migz kanina na yung boto niya napakataas, statistically improbable. I would say impossible for 98 percent of voters to vote and then for him to get 98 percent of the votes cast. That is too much. Kaya nung 2007 pa lang, ako kumbinsido na ko from the numbers alone na kaduda-duda ito. Product ito ng fraud.

... It’s my obligation to my party, and I think also to myself, to give me a chance-- a full term to really serve as senator.

  JS: Ano ho bang… You are a lawyer, I’m sure pinag-usapan niyo na rin ng mga abogado niyo itong nangyaring ito. Ano ho bang sabi sa inyo? How will this case be resolved now because there’s a pending electoral protest na inihain niyo? And then, may counter electoral protest naman yung side ni Senator Zubiri. So will these cases ever be resolved ngayon na nag-resign na siya? Parang hindi ba naging moot and academic na itong lahat? Now if that is the case, wouldn’t you want a clean slate na sana ma-resolve pa rin? Are you in a position to do that? Pimentel: Kung, if ever mayroong naging moot and academic dito, it would be Zubiri’s counter protest. Kasi nga siya yung nagdedepensa ng kanyang posisyon. Pero by resigning, ibig-sabihin iniiwanan na niya. So why allow him to defend the position na iniwanan na niya, kusang loob? So kung magiging moot and academic yung counter protest, ang naiiwan na lang yung protesta ko. And tama 'yung nabanggit mo, sa protesta ko, tapos na 'yun. Three years ago, tapos na 'yun. Established na ang lead ko (by) 257,000 votes.   JS: Would you want that declared pa rin?   Pimentel: Of course, kailangan eh. Because hindi automatic na just because nag-resign siya eh bukas puwede na akong pumunta sa Senado. I still need to get a formal proclamation from the SET (Senate Electoral Tribunal) proclaiming me as the real winner in 2007.   JS: And for your psychic reward for yourself din, you want that declared na kayo talaga ang clean winner?   Pimentel: Yes, sense of fulfillment na ... at least, vindication. (Pagkatapos) ng hirap ko, mayroon palang fruitful ending. At saka I need that to really report to work at the Senate. Without that, I cannot report to work.   JS: Ano hong nababalitaan niyong proseso ngayon? Because ang balita ho namin kanina, medyo at a loss nga daw yung mga senador because this is a first time na something like this happened, ‘no? They have to issue daw a resolution whether accepted as resigned na nga si Sen. Zubiri. Ano pong balita sa inyo? Pimentel: Siguro madali lang i-resolve ito. Hanapin lang natin saan nanggaling ang mandate ng nag-resign na official. So the mandate of the senator comes from the people. He is a nationally elected official, therefore, dapat yung senador na gustong mag-resign, he will resign to the people. So hindi na ito subject to acceptance of his colleagues, kasi 'yung mandate niya, hindi naman nanggaling sa colleagues niya eh. Nanggaling sa taumbayan.   JS: Ano ho ang reaskyon niyo naman (kay) Senator Zubiri by resigning kanina? We can debate all night about ano ba talaga 'yung naging dahilan, but he has already said for himself na it’s for his family and it’s for his integrity. And because of that, marami siyang good points na nakuha. How do you feel about that?   Pimentel: Well, tanggapin na lang natin yung reasons na binigay niya, 'yung dahilan na binigay niya. Siya lang naman ang may alam eh what’s in his mind eh. And sinabi naman niya nagdasal sila for guidance so I believe this is all God’s intervention, God’s hand. Yung paglabas ni Zaldy, paglabas ni Lintang Bedol, who would have known? So, I mean this is already God’s hand at work. So tanggapin na natin 'yung what he says is his real reason. 'Yun na po siguro 'yun.  

Yung paglabas ni Zaldy, paglabas ni Lintang Bedol, who would have known? This is already God’s hand at work. So tanggapin na natin 'yung what he says is his real reason.

JS: You no longer mind na for four years, parang kayo yung, if we are to believe your version of the story again, kayo 'yung victim?   Pimentel: Actually, if I want to nag him, I could say that, "Why did it take you so long? You deprived me four years." Pero anyway, mayroon din namang kasabihan na, "Better late than never." Tanggapin ko po 'yun and then I go to work na.   JS: Almost one and a half years lang ang piwede niyong pagsilbihan kung mapabilis nga itong electoral tribunal and all the processes that you need to go through before they declare you the winner. In the meantime, anong gagawin niyo?   Pimentel: Well in the meantime, 'yun muna, ayusin na namin 'yung motions. If we need to file motions to expedite the protest, gagawin namin yun. I have a meeting tomorrow with all my volunteer lawyers para ayusin na namin ito. And then number two, bilang paghahanda na rin, kasi I’m the only one contesting that position vacated by Migz Zubiri. So logic tells us, or common sense tells us, I’m the only one who could possibly replace him. So in the meantime, hiram na siguro ako ng rules of the Senate. Pag-aralan ko na.   JS: One and a half years-- paano kayo magiging senador given that limited time? And well, 2013 pa yung susunod na elections, but as they say, next year malamang election na rin.   Pimentel: By November, December -- slow down na 'yan at saka filing na. Kung automated, filing na by December. Well, ano na lang po, Jessica, triple time kung kailangan.   JS: Migz has said that he’s running. Ikaw?   Pimentel: Well I have always maintained that my re-election is in 2013. Noong 2007 ko pa sinasabi yan. So I’ll be available to run and it’s my obligation to my party and I think also to myself to give me naman a chance--a full term to really serve as senator.   JS: Zubiri vs. Pimentel or Pimentel vs. Zubiri round 2?   Pimentel: Actually, hindi ko naman siya talaga kalaban eh. So it’s not really versus na, because it’s a brand new election. So if we both win cleanly, fairly and squarely then there should be no issue.   JS: But both of you will be running again?   Pimentel: Sabi niya, tatakbo siya. Sabi ko tatakbo ako. Then we will see each other on the campaign trail.   JS: (I will ask) the same question I asked Senator Zubiri kanina. First time nga itong nangyari. Tama bang matuwa ba kami na mukhang nagbago na nga ang mga pulitiko natin? Mayroon nang delicadeza? Mayroon nang word of honor? Mayroon nang pagpapahalaga sa integrity? In a country and in a government na sinabi rin ni Migz Zubiri na nobody resigns from controversy. Anong reaction (niyo)?   Pimentel: Actually, tama. Mukhang ako rin wala akong maala-ala na nagre-resign. For that singular act, for that rare act na nagawa niya, he will be remembered. Pagbigyan na natin siya, whatever reason. We might disagree with his reasons pero kung 'yun ang reason eh, the important thing is 'yung act na ginawa niya, nag-resign na siya.   JS: Atty. Pimentel, maraming salamat po sa inyong oras.   JS: Salamat din po.   Pimentel: Magandang gabi po sa inyo.   JS: Magandang gabi.
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