Cayetano: Senate also on trial in VP Duterte impeachment handling — ANC

[0:00] We quickly break away from that, go back to the Senate because the new Senate President is about to deliver speech. Let's listen in. [0:32] God never lies. Though we may be weak, He is strong. But we are reminded that if He has a plan, we have to do the right thing. [0:43] So let me be explicit. Our job together, my job, is to serve you, dear Senators, to serve this nation, to serve God above all, and to do what is right. [1:00] Napakahirap kung tutusin po ang dinadaanan ng henerasyon na to. [1:06] Kagabi po, kausap ko po ang pamangkin ni Sen. Jingoy, anak po, ni Jackie, si Manu. [1:15] Nakita po niya ako ng 2006 or 2007 or 2008 nung binisita ko ang kanyang lolo. [1:23] At sabi ko sa kanya, grabe pala pinagdaanan ng generation niyo. [1:27] During Duterte's time, depending on your lens, it was a human rights crisis. [1:35] If you're pro-Duterte, it's a crisis of drugs, where illegal drugs did not only steal lives, did not only steal dreams, but it wrecked communities. [1:48] It wrecked our government. [1:51] Of course, if you are from the anti-Duterte lens, the human rights crisis was in the extrajudicial killings. [2:00] But after enjoying almost nine years of unprecedented economic prosperity during the Aquino time to the Duterte time, [2:10] inabot po tayo ng pandemic. [2:13] So from the human rights crisis to a health pandemic crisis. [2:19] Naglilift pa lang ang COVID, nangyari na po ang Ukraine-Russia conflict. [2:26] Sa mundo na mga kabataan na to ay naniniwalang hindi na posible ang World War III, [2:34] ay suddenly may major conflict in the West. [2:38] And then you fast forward, the crisis of the Philippines when it comes to corruption and flood control. [2:47] The biggest corruption scandal in our country. [2:53] Hindi pa ho tapos yan, nangyari yung Iran, US, Israel. [3:00] And then, our young people have to face the prospect of a changing world through AI. [3:08] And while we are worrying, leaders around the world in Canada, India, US, Australia are excited of AI. [3:17] They said that it will bring in a new wave of millionaires, billionaires. [3:21] It will bring in high-quality jobs. [3:25] Pero tayo po ba'y nag-ahanda na? [3:30] We might not feel the crisis here in the session hall. [3:34] But our people, may it be the grab drivers, the tricycle drivers, jeepney drivers, [3:39] yung maliliit na kalendria, yung mga beneficiaries ng 4Ps, ramdam na ramdam na nila. [3:45] So, nung kinamayan po ako nung former Senate President Subiri, sabi niya, [3:50] hindi siya na-inggit sa trabaho dahil mahirap po ito. [3:54] But I take a step forward, my dear colleagues, and offer myself to serve you. [3:59] Just as Senate President Soto said, that he is here to serve everyone, [4:04] not only the majority, not only the minority. [4:09] I am here to respect the President, the Office of the President, the Vice President, [4:15] the Office of the Vice President, the House of Representatives, and each one of you. [4:23] In every crisis, there are big winners and there are big losers. [4:27] Unfortunately, it is the poorest of the poor who is always the losers. [4:31] So, I urge all of you, let's unite, let's discuss. [4:39] Before us might be the impeachment, let me make it very clear. [4:44] May mga lumabas sa news, and hindi ko kayo sinisise kung sinasabi niyo sa news [4:48] na ang pagpalit ng leadership ay tungkol sa impeachment, hindi po. [4:53] The impeachment is enshrined in the Constitution. [4:59] The Bible says, the truth shall set us free. [5:02] We want to be free from poverty. [5:06] We want to be free from corruption. [5:09] We want to be free from a government that is busy fighting its own people, [5:15] or the people fighting each other. [5:18] Hindi ito Facebook, hindi ito social media na pwedeng bawat minuto may nagbabanatan. [5:23] In real life, in the non-digital life, we have to be here for each other. [5:30] It doesn't mean anything if we are, say, we are devout Muslims, [5:34] or we are devout Catholics, or devout evangelicals, if we cannot love each other. [5:40] In the Senate, we might not like each other, but I think we can work each other, [5:43] and we can love each other. [5:45] So, let me make it clear. [5:48] The impeachment will be much, much more than dismissing a complaint because of political affiliation. [5:59] And it's also much, much more than convicting someone without evidence. [6:05] Parehong hindi pwede yun. [6:07] Kailangan guided tayo by the truth, guided by evidence. [6:12] But the process is as important as the result. [6:17] Hindi natin pwedeng sabihin, she or he will make a bad president, [6:21] or wala na tayong maasahan dyan sa presidente, [6:24] wala na tayong maasahan sa vice president, impeach na lang natin. [6:26] Hindi po. [6:27] So, the Senate is also on trial. [6:31] So, dear colleagues, as we ask God to guide us and help us, [6:35] I'd like to thank all of you who supported me today. [6:38] I will do my job. [6:40] But I'd also like to reach out to all my colleagues here today. [6:46] Ngayon lang naman po tayo na may divisions, eh. [6:49] Dahil mabigat ang politika. [6:51] Pero actually, we've worked together. [6:53] And if we could only go back 20 years, and then go back now, [6:59] can we go back, can we go to 20 years from now? [7:01] And let me tell you what I told the group last night nung nag-meeting kami. [7:05] Basta't lahat ng gagawin natin, huwag tayong magsisisi. [7:08] Huwag tayong gagawa na pagsisisihan natin. [7:11] So, feel free to call me out if you think mali ang direction. [7:16] So, dear colleagues, again, thank you. [7:18] God bless you. [7:19] Maraming maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. [7:23] Session is suspended for a minute.