MGA KUMAKANDIDATO SA PAGKA-SENADOR, HINARAP ANG MGA 'TANONG NG BAYAN'
"Ano ang maisasagot n'yo doon sa mga nagsasabi na wala namang nangyayari sa Pilipinas?"
Sa pagpapatuloy ng Panel Round a 'Tanong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025," humarap ang mga senatorial aspirants sa mabibigat na tanong mula sa mga beteranong mamamahayag na sina Jessica Soho, Vicky Morales, Kara David, Pia Arcangel, at Emil Sumangil.
Ang mga sagot ng senatorial aspirantsa sa maiinit na #TanongNgBayan, panoorin sa video.
"Ano ang maisasagot n'yo doon sa mga nagsasabi na wala namang nangyayari sa Pilipinas?"
Sa pagpapatuloy ng Panel Round a 'Tanong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025," humarap ang mga senatorial aspirants sa mabibigat na tanong mula sa mga beteranong mamamahayag na sina Jessica Soho, Vicky Morales, Kara David, Pia Arcangel, at Emil Sumangil.
Ang mga sagot ng senatorial aspirantsa sa maiinit na #TanongNgBayan, panoorin sa video.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Next, we will ask Atty. Ernesto Arellano.
00:05Atty. Arellano, when you were about to ask for a candidature,
00:09you said that one of the first laws that you will propose
00:14is that every Filipino has the right to have their own lote.
00:19Lote, their house.
00:22Atty., the population of the Philippines is already 114 million.
00:28Do you still have a lote for every Filipino
00:31to implement the law that you proposed?
00:35We still have a lot.
00:37Where will you get this lote?
00:39Local governments need to fulfill the mandate of the Republic Act 7279
00:47to inventory all the land that can be used by informal settlers.
00:58In 1967, the PAYATAS land promise was declared.
01:08But this is one promise that was broken.
01:14So, the responsibility lies with the employees of our government.
01:21So, if the problem is to be implemented, there is a law that is not being implemented.
01:26So, why are you still proposing a law?
01:29No, it has been resolved for a while.
01:33But for now, as I said earlier,
01:39the Philippines still has 3 lotes.
01:42We have a new law in 1987.
01:49Atty. Arellano, I will just ask.
01:52It's nice to hear that every Filipino will have a house,
01:55just like what you proposed.
01:58But we know that this is like a fairytale
02:00because every day, the government still needs to borrow billions
02:04to meet the budgetary deficit.
02:07So, where will this money come from to fulfill your promise?
02:12The Philippines has a lot of money, but it is misspent.
02:21The level of corruption,
02:23according to the survey conducted by former Senator Laxon,
02:29is very high.
02:31The money we spend is being consumed by corruption.
02:38So, we thought...
02:43Sorry, that's all we have time for.
02:45Thank you very much, Atty. Arellano and Atty. David.
02:50The next speaker in our one-on-one is Atty. Vic Rodriguez.
02:56Atty. Vic Rodriguez, good evening.
02:58You were very close to President Bongbong Marcos.
03:01He became his lawyer and campaign manager in the election of 2022
03:06until he became the Executive Secretary when he won.
03:11But just after, Atty. Rodriguez, for almost 3 months in the palace,
03:16you withdrew from your post and were expelled from the party of the President.
03:20You were expelled for your incompetence as a public servant,
03:25abandonment, and disloyalty.
03:28The question is, what was the real reason for you to fall out with the President?
03:33Emil, your first question, corruption is not cheap,
03:37that's why I left Malacanang.
03:39I was given another position, the Presidential Chief of Staff,
03:43but I didn't like the direction they were taking.
03:46That's why I said, I don't want it anymore, and I will go back to the private sector.
03:50Second, in the federal party, they expelled me because of their bad intentions.
03:55They want, they asked me, when I was the Executive Secretary,
03:59to make them the chairman of COMELEC,
04:02to make them the chairman of PAG-COR,
04:04to make them the chairman of PCSO,
04:06and to make them the chairman of the Civil Service Commission.
04:09They are not qualified, and I know,
04:12they just wanted to steal, that's why I denied it,
04:16that's why they got mad at me.
04:18Atty. Rodriguez, you still have 18 seconds,
04:22you still have additional questions.
04:24You participated in some pro-Duterte rallies.
04:27You are bashing the current administration,
04:30and you said that the trust in the current administration has fallen.
04:35How can you prove these heavy charges, Atty. Sir?
04:41Let's talk about Emil Blanco,
04:43the 100 billion Pesos Bicameral Conference Committee Report,
04:46which became the foundation of GAA.
04:48This is Blanco, this is criminal.
04:51This is violation of Article 170 of the Revised Penal Code,
04:55falsification of legislative document.
05:00Atty. Rodriguez, what can you say to those who say that
05:04you are running because you just want to retaliate,
05:08or to take revenge for your removal from the inner circle of President Marcos?
05:15Jessica, I accepted the challenge of being led by a true and wise opposition
05:19to fight corruption.
05:21I have just mentioned to Emil,
05:23the current situation in the 2025 budget.
05:27This is full of Blanco, I saw it, we condemned it,
05:31and this is what I will fight in the Senate, corruption.
05:35But as of today,
05:36I think there are three people who said that there is no Blanco.
05:39There is no Blanco, Jessica.
05:41What we are showing as Blanco is the Bicameral Conference Committee,
05:46the Enrolled Bill, which became GAB, the General Appropriations Bill.
05:52Thank you very much, Atty. Rodriguez and Emil Sumangin.
05:57The next one to be asked is the former party list representative, Teddy Casita.
06:05You are a former congressman.
06:07In 2020, you attended a Senate hearing,
06:11and you were asked if the members of the militant groups
06:16who used to join the NPA should be considered as enemies of the government.
06:21Your answer to this was,
06:23the dialogue with the members of the CPP-NPA should continue
06:28and they should not be seen as enemies.
06:31A former AFP official said,
06:34you had one good chance to draw a line between your party list and the communists,
06:39and you missed it.
06:40Because you and your group have been in the CPP-NPA for a long time,
06:45and you say that you are not terrorists.
06:47My question is, why don't you just directly condemn the CPP-NPA?
06:54You know, the members of the CPP-NPA are our fellow Filipinos.
06:59Our fellow Filipinos are like us.
07:02They also aspire for the well-being of our country.
07:05We may not agree with their way of fighting,
07:09but if the issue is the dialogue,
07:11if the root of their fight is the dialogue,
07:14I think we have more in common than we have differences.
07:17So for me, they should not be treated as terrorists,
07:21they should not be treated as enemies.
07:24There should be an engagement with them,
07:26and peace talks are one way
07:28to discuss and find a way to help each other
07:34to face poverty, underdevelopment,
07:38the loss of justice,
07:40the systematic human rights violations,
07:43the development of our economy,
07:46giving land to our farmers.
07:48That is also what they are fighting for.
07:50Why don't we talk about it?
07:51Why don't we help each other with these problems?
07:54I think it's better than fighting each other,
07:57war after war.
07:58Representative Casino,
08:00please clarify,
08:01you are also a running for senator.
08:04What is your attitude towards the left?
08:08What is your answer to your constant red-tagging?
08:13I have been an activist since I was young.
08:17That's why I don't deny that I am a leftist.
08:21But that doesn't mean that I am an NPA.
08:24That doesn't mean that I am a rebel.
08:26That doesn't mean that I am fighting to bring down the government.
08:31That's different.
08:33And I think it's important in our society,
08:35especially in the Senate,
08:36that there are voices for the left,
08:38that there are voices for change,
08:40that there are voices for the Filipino people.
08:43That's what I have pledged to the Congress,
08:44and that's what I will do in the Senate.
08:46Thank you very much,
08:47Congressman Casino and Tia Arcangel.
08:50We will now ask Representative France Castro.
08:55Congresswoman Castro,
08:57in an interview in November 2023,
09:00former President Rodrigo Duterte said something about you,
09:04and I quote,
09:05France Partylistian,
09:07Alliance of Concerned Teachers.
09:09They are the left who are the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
09:13They are rebels.
09:14They want to destroy the Philippines.
09:16End of quote.
09:18For hundreds of years,
09:19even the AFB said,
09:21you are with the so-called Active Reds.
09:24You have repeatedly denied these allegations.
09:28My question is,
09:30how can you defend yourself
09:33against these methods that came from the military intelligence?
09:39I admit,
09:40since I was a student,
09:41I was also an activist,
09:43like Congressman Teddy Casino.
09:45We fought for the real change in education,
09:49in the system of education,
09:51and in the system of our government.
09:54That's why I admit that I am a leftist,
09:58but not as a member of the CPP, NPA, or whatever.
10:02It's always like this,
10:04if you speak against the position of the government,
10:10you are considered a red,
10:11or you are considered a leftist.
10:14So, I got used to it.
10:16That's why I continue to do what I do,
10:19especially when it comes to the law,
10:24when it comes to the needs of our teachers,
10:26in the education sector,
10:28and also the issues of our citizens.
10:32So, the issue of the red tagging,
10:35I already got used to it.
10:38And I am a proud leftist.
10:41How will you convince Representative Castro,
10:45the public,
10:46that you deserve to go to the Senate,
10:49despite the court's decision?
10:55Well, we can see the track record of Teacher Franz Castro in Congress.
11:01We saw there our fight against corruption,
11:06our fight against the misuse of confidential funds.
11:10And this is what we will bring to the Senate,
11:13to fight against the misuse,
11:16the corruption in the government,
11:19and of course, my track record as a congresswoman.
11:23So, that is my promise to the Senate.
11:27Thank you very much, Representative Castro and Vicky Morales.
11:33Next in line is Senator Bato de la Rosa.
11:38Senator Bato,
11:39there are sources who say that the International Criminal Court, or ICC,
11:44has requested that the five Philippine officials,
11:48including you,
11:49who were the Chief of Police when the drug war was carried out,
11:53the recommendation of the Quadcom of the Camera,
11:57you are accused, and seven others, of crimes against humanity,
12:01still related to the war against drugs.
12:04My question is,
12:06what is your reaction to the allegations of the Quadcom,
12:11and to the recommendation that I accused you of?
12:14It is obvious, Vicky, that the Quadcom was created by the Speaker of the House
12:20to use as a weapon, to demolish the Dutertes and their allies.
12:27And now, those four committees,
12:31they were grouped together,
12:33they have no other direction,
12:35but to kill the Dutertes and their allies.
12:38So, this is politics.
12:40It is obvious that this is politics.
12:42President Duterte has been down for a long time.
12:44Three years ago, until now,
12:45the DOJ has not filed a case against us.
12:49So, it is obvious that this is a demolition job.
12:53This is not an investigation in aid of legislation.
12:57In fact, this is an investigation in aid of persecution.
13:01Investigation in aid of demolition.
13:05It was said that if you are arrested by the ICC,
13:08you will go to the Supreme Court.
13:11Correct.
13:12Will you follow the decision, even if it is in favor or against?
13:19If it is in favor or against, whatever.
13:23As long as the decision is given by our court,
13:27not the court of Banyaga.
13:29If the court decides that our case is against me,
13:33I will follow it.
13:35But Senator Bato,
13:36the ICC has already investigated many cases throughout history.
13:42Cases of war crimes, genocide.
13:45You are the leader of our PNP.
13:48At one point, you are the primary or the top enforcer of the law in our country.
13:55Did you not present your position to the ICC
14:00that it should comply with your previous duty to enforce the law?
14:07There seems to be a contradiction there.
14:09No. No. Why?
14:11Because the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.
14:15Very clear.
14:16Article 127 of the Rome Statute.
14:18It states that the Philippines is not subject to the events
14:24that took place during our membership.
14:28But these investigations should have commenced before our withdrawal took effect.
14:38What is happening now is that their investigation will start after the withdrawal.
14:42So, there is no jurisdiction.
14:44No matter where we go.
14:45Don't you want a chance to explain yourself before the tribunal?
14:50No, because I don't recognize their jurisdiction over us.
14:53They have no jurisdiction.
14:55Thank you very much, Senator Dela Rosa and Vicky Morales.
15:01Here is the question for Congressman Eric Martinez.
15:05Good evening, Congressman.
15:07Sir, welcome.
15:08This is the result of our GMA News Research.
15:12In 2004, you ran for the position of La Casa CMD
15:17as the Councilor of the City of Valenzuela
15:20and in 2007, as the Vice Mayor.
15:22In 2010, you transferred to the Liberal Party
15:27to run again as the Vice-Mayor.
15:30And in 2016, you transferred to PDP-Laban
15:34to run as the House Representative.
15:37In this election, you ran as the Independent Senator.
15:41The question is, how will you answer those who say that you are a political butterfly, Congressman Martinez?
15:49Thank you for the question, Emil.
15:51From 2001 to 2010, I did not transfer.
15:56In that year, local politics came into play.
16:00We were replaced.
16:02We were replaced.
16:03They elected a different party as their official candidate locally.
16:07We had nothing to do.
16:09I transferred to the Liberal Party.
16:11After I transferred to the Liberal Party, I became the Vice-Mayor.
16:13I became the Party Chairman of the party.
16:16After a while, in 2015, I did not leave.
16:21I was replaced again.
16:22Local politics came into play.
16:24There was a candidate, Congressman.
16:26Maybe that's why they chose me because I was the Vice-Mayor at that time.
16:30In 2016, there were only three of us.
16:33The PDP-Laban, President Duterte ran.
16:38I chose to run for the PDP-Laban.
16:40And until I finished my term as Congressman, there were only three of us in 2016.
16:45I ran as the Independent Senator.
16:47We ran under the banner of unity.
16:50We believed in that and being independent.
16:55Congressman Martinez, you are now a veteran in our politics and in leading the government.
17:01What can you say to those who say that nothing is happening in the Philippines?
17:06Why is the government the problem?
17:08We will start on the day of the election, this May.
17:11It is a wise choice to face candidates in debates like this, in assessing the Filipinos.
17:19It is different, it is new.
17:22It may not be popular, but there is a reserve that should be chosen by the people of the Philippines.
17:27Thank you very much, Congressman Martinez and Emil Sumangil.
17:32Let's move on to the question for Attorney Luke Espiritu.
17:37Attorney Espiritu, this is not the first time that you have run in the national elections.
17:43In 2022, you ran as a Senator.
17:47Your ranking back then was 34 out of 64 candidates.
17:52Although you have become the leader of various labor groups,
17:57you have not experienced anything in politics.
17:59Now, in 2025, you will be back in the senatorial race,
18:04but you have not experienced anything in politics.
18:07So, this is my question to you, Attorney Espiritu.
18:10What will be the impact of a person who has no experience in politics when he comes to the Senate?
18:16First of all, politics is not just the politics of the trapos.
18:19The politics of the workers is part of our public life.
18:25And that is politics.
18:26Politics is not about the ruling class.
18:29It is also about those who are ruled.
18:31How they engage in our public discourse, that's still politics.
18:36And I have been a political leader in the sense that I am a labor leader.
18:39Why should we just recognize the trapos and the dynasties that only have experience in politics?
18:44We have experience in leadership.
18:46I have been a labor leader for 10 years.
18:48Isn't that leadership that I can also bring into the Senate?
18:53It would be even better if you are from the mass movement.
18:56If you are from the political dynasties, what kind of leaders are produced there?
18:59There are the most incompetent,
19:01there are those who only use their brains,
19:05no discourse,
19:06no intelligence that comes out of their mouths.
19:09But if you look at the labor movement, the mass movement,
19:12there are the best leaders.
19:18If you succeed in becoming a Senator, Attorney Espiritu,
19:23how will you relate to the Senators that you elected with bad words?
19:31There are two agendas.
19:32We need to destroy the political dynasties.
19:34And secondly, we need to push the social justice agenda
19:37that is historical, that we cannot resolve in our society.
19:41And therefore, we should pass an anti-dynasty law,
19:43and we should also pass legislation for our workers
19:47to raise the wages, to make the wages more livable.
19:50We also need to resolve the problem of contractualization.
19:53We also need to resolve the problem of land reform.
19:56But in the Senate, there are also members of the political dynasties.
20:00Yes.
20:01How will you deal with them?
20:02We will force them to commit harakiri
20:04by using the power of the Senate, not only to become an official.
20:08Thank you very much.
20:10Attorney Espiritu and Pia Arcangel.
20:14The last question will be asked by Attorney Jimmy Bondoc.
20:19Good evening, Attorney Bondoc.
20:21You were an official of the PAG Corp under the Duterte administration.
20:26This was also the time when the Pogo operation in our country became famous.
20:32And what I remember is that you defended the Pogo operation
20:36because you said that the Pogo had a big contribution to the social funds of the PAG Corp.
20:42But now, we see that the Pogo is involved in human trafficking, kidnapping, physical abuse, and scamming.
20:51Is your position still the same?
20:53Will you still defend the Pogo?
20:56We need to make it clear that I will never defend the Pogo.
21:02What I said is that the Pogo is neutral.
21:06It depends on who is in charge.
21:08If it can be run properly, there are a lot of social benefits that can be obtained from it.
21:14And back then, gambling was not popular.
21:18The Pogo is being gambled by other countries.
21:21We are just call centers here.
21:23That is why we earn money.
21:26Now, if under the wisdom of the new administration,
21:29they think that the Pogo operation cannot be controlled properly and should be closed,
21:35it is better to close it.
21:36What I am defending is not the concept of the Pogo.
21:41What I am defending is whether it can be run properly.
21:46And in my opinion, based on my experience,
21:49it can be run properly in cooperation with the right agencies, especially the police.
21:56You were appointed by the former President Duterte.
21:59What is your stand on the issues that are being thrown against him,
22:04especially when it comes to the EJ case or extrajudicial killings?
22:09I need a clear disclaimer.
22:11I run under the PDP Laban and President Duterte is my personal friend.
22:16Despite all of that, I believe that there is no jurisdiction in the ICC.
22:21End of discussion.
22:22When it comes to the local courts, it is up to them.
22:25That is the proper forum if they want to sue.
22:27Morally, I don't think we should do that to all our leaders who are always being sued by the former President.
22:32Even if he is being sued, he can defend himself
22:35because I believe that he has worked for the good of the Filipino people.
22:39Thank you very much, Attorney Bondo and Kara David.
22:44And those were the questions of our panel.
22:47Thank you very much, Kara David.
22:50Kara David, Emil Sumangin, Pia Arcangel, and Vicky Morales.