00:00Today's much-awaited Senate Blue Ribbon hearing was prefaced with a bang before the boom of the bombshell drop in today's jaw-dropping statements
00:08and the heated verbal spars from Senators versus resourcepersons and lawmakers against lawmakers that followed later on.
00:16Our Daniel Manalastas fills us in with Senator Marcoleta's clashing with Senate Blue Ribbon Chairperson Ping Lakson
00:24over grounds or criteria for admission into the Witness Protection Program.
00:30Senators Jingoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva took the plenary after being implicated in the flood control mess
00:38following the allegations of former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara.
00:44Villanueva said he's ready to face the allegations.
00:46Let me state this clearly at the very start. I am fully prepared to be investigated on these allegations.
00:54I have nothing to hide and I welcome any inquiry that will bring out the truth.
01:01Estrada meanwhile confronted Sen. Kiko Panglinan on some of the latter's remarks during the hearing.
01:08Siguro kung yung napoles cases e na uwi dun sa halip na abswelto e kulong e baka hindi na nangyari itong mas malaking kurakot.
01:23Plunder yung mga kaso nun e. Nakakulong na nga pero na abswelto.
01:28With due respect, such statements are not only unfair. They are malicious and utterly uncalled for.
01:38Mr. President, let me put on record.
01:42Hinarap ko po ang mga kasong isinampas sa akin.
01:45Ngunit, hinding hindi ko pahihintulutan na ang kasulukuyang isyo ay gamitin upang idikit muli sa akin
01:56ang mga maling paratang at sadyang impluensyahan ang opinion ng publiko.
02:02In a short statement, former Sen. Bong Revilla denied allegations saying he had nothing to do with all of it.
02:09Don't question my opinion.
02:12I am not questioning your opinion, Mr. Chair, but you are the chairman of this committee.
02:16Anyway, let's proceed with us.
02:19You are not interested in the prejudicial question that I am going to raise, Mr. Chair?
02:24How I kagatay rin?
02:24Meanwhile, a heated exchange between Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and Panfilo Lacson erupted
02:30after Marcoleta brought up during the hearing,
02:34Lacson's recent statements with the media on Diskaya's possible witness protection application.
02:41Sen. Bam Aquino meanwhile floated the idea of possibly returning the money
02:45as a condition to be accepted under the witness protection program.
02:50But according to DOJ Secretary Jesus Crespin Remulia,
02:55Ang pagbabalik ng pera, yan po ay inuutos ng Korte.
02:58Pero para humakita natin ang good faith ng isang testigo,
03:01isang tanong po yan na binibigay natin sa kanila.
03:03Kasi kung gusto nila maprotektahan, dapat yung full good faith, iso sa uli talaga nila.
03:10However, Marcoleta seems to have a different take on the matter.
03:14Hindi lang po batasan nag-dictate dito.
03:16It's also what is morally right, what is expected of us.
03:21Paano mo sasabihin na mag-re-restitute ang isang tao?
03:25Meron na bang findings kung magkano i-re-restitute on how it can be restituted?
03:29Nag-a-apply pa lang eh.
03:31Huwag po ninyong babaguhin ang requisite ng batas.
03:34I respect your opinion, sir.
03:36But that is how...
03:37It is not my opinion, it is in the law, Mr. Secretary.
03:39Yes, sir.
03:40Yes, sir.
03:40But I am operating...
03:41And the arbiter, the arbiter is the law.
03:44Sir, can I speak, sir?
03:44May I speak, sir?
03:45Yes, you are allowing.
03:45I'm operating from the vantage point of the reason behind the law, sir.
03:51What is the reason behind the law?
03:52So that we can get justice, and justice can only be attained if there's restitution.
03:58So that is the principle behind all of these things that we are talking about now.
04:02Mr. Secretary, restitution will come after?
04:06It cannot be...
04:07Sir, it can come before or after, sir.
04:09It can come before or after.
04:10You cite the law that it came before.
04:13Wala nga po sa batas, eh.
04:15Huwag po ninyong babaguhin ang batas, Mr. Secretary.
04:17Sir, we are operating on a unique set of facts, and we are...
04:23All of these matters are being evaluated because the gravity of this financial crime cannot be underestimated.
04:32Senator Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, raised the idea that possibly all projects may be substandard.
04:38Ah, nakakasigurado po ako na lahat po ng proyekto sa Bulacan First substandard po.
04:44Lahat ng proyekto? Particular na ang flood control, tama po ba?
04:47Lahat po.
04:48Lahat? As in, hindi lang flood control?
04:51Opo, Your Honor.
04:52Hindi po namimit ko ano po yung eksaktong nasa plano, Your Honor.
04:55Dahil yung budget pinaghatiyatian ninyo, sa dulo, walang project na maayos na dumaan sa inyo?
05:03Wala po.
05:04Kung ito po yung standard po natin na plano, ang nangyayari po, kung ito yung binigay ng DOH,
05:11kung halimbawa ang 2x2 sa program po yun, magiging 4x4 para yung gastos po sa proponents,
05:20sa opisina, sa bidding, kung baga, ma-cover po natin yung mga gastos.
05:27Daniel Manalastas from The National TV for a new and better Philippines.
