Calilung: House should vote, transmit Sara Duterte impeachment case to Senate — News and Views

[0:00] Let's now talk to political analyst Dr. Freyland Kalilong, who's joining us today. [0:05] Welcome to News and Views, and thank you for joining us again, Doc. [0:08] Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Angela, and thank you, Diego, and thank you for having me. [0:13] Well, how do you assess the current public response to Vice President Sara Duterte amid the ongoing controversies? [0:21] Well, I think we could safely say that the idea presented to us last week, especially by former Senator Turlianes and Ombudsman and several other officials, [0:37] was really to create some kind of a catastrophic effect on the part of the Vice President. [0:46] And I think they tried to form what I would consider a stellar cast, primarily because the previous testimonies and the previous witness, Madriaga, [1:00] I think really failed to demonstrate, you know, or to bring the bombs that they are trying to orchestrate, [1:10] so as to really pin down and to make it appear that the Vice President is really criminally liable at this point, [1:17] even if there is no impeachment trial yet. [1:20] So that's why I think what they did last week was to really assemble this very formidable cast, [1:28] to really cast a doubt on the integrity of the Vice President. [1:33] And I think many of our countrymen, though I think many were surprised to actually have it, [1:40] or to at least get that idea. [1:42] I think there are still several people who think otherwise, especially when it comes to, you know, [1:49] to the bank secrecy law, to the AMLA transactions, which normally shows the aggregates. [1:55] I mean, it's really the aggregated. [1:57] That's why there are notions that the amount that is being said, around 6.7 billion, [2:04] was really a manifestation of the aggregates. [2:06] It's not really something that the Vice President just simply got from one person, [2:12] or an accumulation from one person giving this money to her, something like that. [2:18] But rather, it's really an aggregate of all the transactions, [2:22] all the inflows and the outflows that actually come to her bank accounts. [2:26] And I think this is what many accountants are also trying to say, [2:32] especially those that are working in the banking sector. [2:34] Well, Doc, aside from talking about yung total, yung aggregates, and yung amounts, [2:40] I think, I don't know, what do you think that would cause that even the Duterte supporters, [2:46] although they are still solid behind VP Sara, [2:48] a lot of them already have question marks in their head. [2:51] Even if there's no presumption of guilt yet, it's because sabi ng mga iba daw, [2:56] parang the initial image of the Duterte was supposed to be a family of the masses, [3:02] and just seeing the amounts, kahit sabihin mo lang nag-ipon yan over the years, [3:06] seeing that may 6.7 billion kayong dumaan, [3:09] tapos dumadaan tayo sa krisis ngayon, [3:11] may gutomang, madaming gutom, madaming hindi na makapaggas, [3:13] sabi ng iba, nagdagdag daw ito sa question mark sa mga pag-iisip ng mga tao. [3:20] Do you think that is also the case? [3:22] Well, possible naman talaga yun, Angelo, [3:26] na talagang nagkaroon ng agam-agam yung ating mga kababayan regarding the integrity. [3:33] After all, this is really what this quasi-trial is all about. [3:38] It's really to paint a negative impression on the Vice President. [3:42] It's really to make her appear already criminally liable [3:48] even before the impeachment trial already started. [3:51] Because this is really more for orchestrated control of the narrative. [3:55] Talagang nangyayari at mangyayari talaga yun. [3:57] And I think this is really the goal to begin with. [4:00] And kasi kung probable cost ang ang titignan natin, [4:03] they could easily come up with a probable cause. [4:06] They can easily give that to us. [4:08] In fact, last year when they elevated the impeachment complaint to the Senate, [4:14] there was not even a trial in the Justice Committee just like this. [4:18] Talagang diretso siya. [4:19] So, tatotoo yun. [4:21] Merong mga supporters ang ating ikalawang Pangulo [4:24] that may have been influenced, at the very least, to think and to contemplate. [4:32] Totoo ba talaga ito? [4:34] Meron ba talagang ganitong pera, kalaking pera, yung ating ikalawang Pangulo? [4:38] Pero ang sinasabi rin kasi rito ng mga talagang supporters din naman [4:43] ng ating ikalawang Pangulo at ng Duterte Family is that [4:45] kung totoo man na meron silang ganitong kalaking pera, [4:49] bakit hindi nakikita sa kanilang lifestyle, [4:52] sa kanilang niwala nga ro silang property o bahay [4:56] dito sa mga partial divisions, hindi kagaya nitong mga miyembro ng ating kongreso. [5:01] At ilan nga dito ay nakaupo pa mismo dito sa Justice Committee. [5:05] So, I think that is the justification coming also [5:09] from the supporters of the Vice President. [5:13] But then again, yun namang mga nandun sa kabilang fence, [5:17] syempre, they're really looking at this issue here [5:22] para talagang i-justify. [5:24] Di yung mati ikalawang Pangulo, meron talagang mga excess baggages [5:28] at may mga skeletons in the closet [5:30] na ininalabas nga nitong investigation na ito. [5:34] So, whether or not it's really used to create a probable cause, [5:39] I think the narrative that is being spun right now [5:42] is already casting some kind of doubt and apprehensions [5:46] from the supporters of the Vice President. [5:51] But of course, those that are hardline supporters of the Vice President, [5:55] I think we cannot change their perception about the Dutertes [5:58] no matter how strong and how convincing the evidences may be. [6:03] They will always find ways and means to justify [6:06] that the Vice President is clean, that she's utterly honest, among other things. [6:10] Well, during the course of the proceedings, last will be on April 29, [6:15] what are your observations personally as a political analyst [6:19] taking away the, let's say, the statements of Ramil Madriaga? [6:25] As you said, it doesn't hold water. [6:29] But what about the issue on bank statements, [6:32] SAL-EN, notice of disallowance, [6:35] what else, the confidential funds issue. [6:39] Do you think these evidence will hold water [6:42] to finally convict or impeach Vice President Sara Duterte? [6:50] I think there's really no change in the positioning of the Congress [6:57] when it comes to these confidential funds, [7:00] these COA findings, [7:03] primarily because ito rin naman yung naging laman [7:07] nung nakaraan na, ano, nung nakaraan na reklamo, no? [7:12] So definitely, they're still going to amplify on this [7:15] and they're really going to make use of this [7:17] only this time around, yun nga, [7:19] mas pinalalin nila, no? [7:21] By trying to come up with this figure [7:23] because dati kasi, [7:25] ang ipinag-uusapan lang e yung paggasta niya [7:27] nung 11 days, nung 75 million, ano? [7:30] Pero right now kasi na kumasok na yung deal yun. [7:33] I think what the Justice Committee is trying to approximate here [7:37] is that the Vice President is already in the billions [7:40] kasi ang lagi nating iniisip at binabanggit dati, [7:43] dapat ang pagtuunan natin yung flood control [7:45] kasi doon trillions at billions ang usapan e. [7:48] Yung maleta diplomacy kasi billions yun e. [7:50] And right now that the Vice President, [7:52] nailabas na nila yung narrative at yung itong idea, [7:56] that she also has billions. [7:57] So she's now being elevated to that league, you know? [8:01] And again, it may cast a doubt on her integrity, [8:06] definitely, moving forward in the impeachment. [8:08] So ang maganda nga lang dito talaga, [8:11] Diego, Angela, is ituloy na natin, ano, [8:14] yung impeachment for if they really have the numbers [8:17] and if they don't need these orchestrations anymore, [8:22] they don't need these investigations anymore, [8:25] ituloy na natin at magbutuhan na yung plenary [8:28] para magkaalaman na. [8:29] Kasi sa totoo lang, ang tingin ko rito, [8:31] kaya nila ito binagawa, primarily, [8:34] is to condition the minds of the people, [8:36] especially the constituents, [8:38] nung mga congressmen coming from different districts, [8:42] to vote in favor of the impeachment. [8:45] Because, let's face it, [8:47] medyo marami kasing mga kongresista ngayon, [8:49] medyo nag-iisip-isip, no? [8:51] At maaring hindi talaga sila sold completely [8:54] to the idea of impeachment. [8:56] But then again, if the public, [8:57] if the people, if their constituents [8:59] in their respective districts [9:01] will be convinced [9:02] that the vice president's integrity [9:04] is really compromised, [9:07] is really being put into question, [9:09] their vote of approving the impeachment complaint [9:13] will now be at least vindicated or validated [9:16] by the sentiments of the people [9:18] coming from their constituents, more importantly. [9:21] So I think this is what they're trying to project here, [9:23] and this is really what they're trying to see. [9:25] And I think with the two or three investigations [9:28] that the Justice Committee already conducted, [9:30] I think they could very well have already established [9:34] this intent and this purpose. [9:36] And so ang challenge ko sana is, [9:38] magbutohan na, [9:39] para magkaalaman na, [9:40] at para matapos na, [9:42] ma-elevate na natin sa Senate, [9:44] kung ito talaga yung gustong mangyari, [9:45] ito talaga yung trajectory na itong issue na ito, [9:48] eh didali na natin sa kinauhulan [9:50] para doon magawa na talaga yung proper trial. [9:54] Well, talking about talk, [9:56] finally on my end, [9:57] talking about casting a doubt [10:00] sa mga minds ng mga tao, [10:01] even a little doubt [10:02] about the integrity of Vice President Sara Duterte, [10:05] and not taking into account [10:06] whether matatransmit ito sa Senate o hindi. [10:08] Do you think that doubt [10:09] that is casted in their minds [10:11] is enough [10:11] kung patungkatuluyan sa presidential election [10:14] to at least make the battle [10:16] for presidency [10:17] a little bit more exciting [10:18] given, ha, [10:18] yung numbers ni VP Lenny, [10:20] kahit wala pang declaration, [10:22] has increased steadily. [10:24] Meron siyang paangat na numbers, eh. [10:26] So, do you think [10:27] this will be a closer fight din, [10:28] expected, [10:29] kung matuloy lumaban ng Vice President? [10:32] Well, ako talaga, Angelo, [10:34] I firmly believe [10:35] that this is always good for democracy. [10:39] For as long as we will be able [10:40] to look into the very nature [10:43] and the very considerations [10:45] as to why [10:46] we actually have these issues, [10:48] this will always be very good for us, no? [10:50] And, yun nga, [10:51] sinasabi natin [10:52] that she is the frontrunner, [10:54] pero nothing is really [10:56] cast in stone yet, no? [10:57] Hindi pa rin ba talaga tayo [10:58] sigurado rito, no? [11:00] Although she has a solid base, [11:02] I think hindi naman malayo [11:05] mangyari na mabawasan to, no? [11:07] Especially if the impeachment case [11:09] will drag along, no? [11:11] And dito natin makikita siguro talaga, [11:13] yung klase ng stronghold [11:17] nitong mga Dutertes [11:19] toon sa kanilang mga loyal fanbase, [11:21] if they could really withstand [11:23] any kind of political storm [11:25] that will come, [11:26] including this impeachment. [11:28] And from there, [11:29] we will be able to see. [11:30] But, you know, [11:30] at the end of it all, [11:31] I believe that [11:32] if there are several angles [11:35] and there are several situations [11:38] that will precipitate [11:40] that will give rise [11:41] to various considerations, [11:42] I think that will always be good [11:44] for our democracy. [11:45] And in the end, [11:45] ang maganda rito is, [11:46] nabibigyan tayo [11:47] ng right guidance, [11:49] the proper options, [11:51] heading into the polls, no? [11:53] Para hindi na nang, [11:55] hindi natin makumit [11:57] yung same mistakes [11:58] na nangyari sa atin in the past. [11:59] Because definitely, [12:00] we deserve, [12:01] as a country, [12:02] as a people, [12:03] we deserve very good leaders. [12:05] Alright, sige. [12:06] As always, [12:07] maraming salamat po [12:08] sa inyong oras, [12:09] Dr. Froylan Kalilog. [12:10] Thank you. [12:12] Thank you. [12:12] Salamat, Dr. Froylan.