00:00When you appeared before the House Committee on Justice on April 22, 2026, did you obtain a prior written authority
00:11of the three council members?
00:15Your Honor, the authority granted was pursuant to our information exchange guidelines, which the council already approved in 2022.
00:26So that is an authority granted. There's a provision there which authorizes me to appear whenever we're subject of subpoena
00:36with competent authorities, Your Honor.
00:38Yeah, but again, not responsive, Your Honor, but my question is very specific.
00:43Did you obtain a prior written authority of the three council members to specifically appear before the House Committee on
00:52Justice on that date?
00:53Objection, Your Honor. At this point, I've already given so much leeway to Attorney Vin Luan, so I'm constrained to
00:59object.
00:59Attorney, it might be better for you to use the apple box.
01:03Sorry.
01:07I'm objecting on the ground of irrelevance, Your Honor.
01:10This witness, as you testified on earlier, Your Honor, is appearing before this Honorable Court by virtue or on the
01:17strength of the subpoena issued by this Honorable Court.
01:22So it's pursuant to the compulsory processes of this Honorable Court.
01:25The objection is…
01:26And there's also presumption of regularity on the part of this witness, Your Honor.
01:32And just a last point, Your Honor, may I be allowed, Your Honor, to sit down while listening to the
01:38cross-examination questions, Your Honor.
01:40Because, Your Honor, to be very honest, my back is already…
01:45With the indulgence of Attorney Mark.
01:47Sure, sure.
01:48Of course.
01:49Of course.
01:50Of course, Attorney May.
01:51You may sit down.
01:52Your Honor.
01:53I'm allowed the court to make a ruling.
01:55Attorney Mark asked if he had prior authorization from the council.
02:01Attorney Ronel answered that authorization to coordinate with the various branches was given by the AMLC,
02:11I presume, to the executive director of the AMLC, not you per se, Attorney Ronel, because you were not yet
02:18with the AMLC.
02:21So, kindly, I would have to overrule.
02:24Attorney May kindly answer the question.
02:25So, allow the chair, so wala kang prior authorization na mag-appear po dito.
02:31Ang binabasihan mo lang ay yung 2022 na resolusyon pa ng AMLC na binigyan ng kapangyari ng isang executive director
02:39na mag-appear sa mga patawag tulad dito.
02:42Yes, Your Honor.
02:43And based on that, we submit a memo to our council, Your Honor.
02:51Before or after?
02:53Whenever we receive the subpoena before, Your Honor.
02:56So, we submit a memo, and they just simply noted, because indicated in our memo is that I'm appearing for
03:04so-one to the authority previously granted to them.
03:06So, they noted.
03:07And they could have prevented you from attending if they wanted to do so?
03:10Yes, Your Honor, because they can simply immediately mention or inform me that, no, it's not within the authority granted
03:18before.
03:19To your knowledge.
03:20Had they wanted to, Your Honor.
03:22To your knowledge, if you know, has that ever happened?
03:26Na hindi pinayagan ng AMLC after the 2022 guidelines na mag-appear ang isang executive director sa anumang pagpapatawag, Porte
03:33Mano Congreso.
03:35If you know.
03:36As executive director since at least April 14, 2026, as far as I recall, no po, Your Honor.
03:43Okay.
03:43Attorney Mark, you're with this.
03:44Your Honor, sorry, I just have to make this clarification.
03:47I wasn't even there, Your Honor.
03:48I was asking about appearance before the House Committee on Justice.
03:51Ah, you were there.
03:52Not yet here.
03:53Yes, Your Honor.
03:53Okay, then kindly answer.
03:56And just to clarify, Your Honor, the question, I was specifically asking for a written authority.
04:01So we can cross-check, Your Honor.
04:02But that was already answered, Your Honor.
04:04Earlier, the witness testified that he has a continuing authority to appear based on the guidelines.
04:09Then let the witness answer according to that.
04:12Attorney Riddell kindly answered.
04:14Did you have prior written authority to appear before the House?
04:17Limit your answer to that question only.
04:18Yes, Your Honor, based on the guidelines issued to the, not specifically to my person, but rather as to the
04:27executive director, Your Honor.
04:29All right, at any rate, you did not submit that written authority issued by the three council members before that
04:37House Committee on Justice, correct?
04:39No, no, I'm talking about the submission of that written authority if he submitted it.
04:43Same as earlier, Attorney May, let's let the witness answer the questions.
04:47We'll give enough leeway to Attorney Mark as we gave you earlier.
04:50No, Your Honor, it was not requested or required of me to submit that, Your Honor.
04:54Not submitted.
04:55Okay.
