FULL - Opening speech ni Rep. Luistro sa pagpapatuloy ng impeachment hearing vs VP Sara — GMA News

[0:00] Good morning, good morning. [0:05] Before anything else, it is important that we begin by looking back. [0:13] Because the work we have today is anchored on what has already been laid on record. [0:24] Noong nakaraang pagdinig, April 14, we begin by affirming our constitutional mandate. [0:33] Our exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment. [0:41] Nasa atin ang unang galaw, nasa atin ang direksyon, at hawak natin ang beat. [0:54] Ngunit nabanggit din natin na malinaw ang limitasyon ng ating papel sa yugtong ito. [1:04] Hindi pa ito paghuhusga. [1:06] Our task at this stage is simply to determine probable cause kung may sapat na batayan upang magpatuloy. [1:24] As Congressman Benny Abante stated, [1:27] Sisilipin natin kung may usok. [1:33] Dahil kung may usok, tungkulin natin hanapin kung nasaan ang sunog. [1:40] During our last hearing, we formally recognized the complainants, [1:49] Father Sabalia and his group, and of course, Attorney Cabrera. [1:57] All of them were present, ready to face this committee and stand by their complaints. [2:09] But there was one thing we could not ignore. [2:15] Something that was right in front of us. [2:19] The empty chair of the Vice President. [2:26] Wala po siya nitong nakaraan. [2:30] Habang nandito ang mga nagre-reklamo, [2:35] ang tanging humarap sa atin ay isang bakanting upuan. [2:42] And yet, with or without the presence of the Vice President, [2:49] with or without her cooperation, [2:52] tuloy ang mandato ng committee. [2:55] At umusad nga ang ating pagdinig noong araw na iyon. [3:04] First, we formally received subpoenaed documents, [3:10] all of which are now part of our record. [3:17] Second, we heard a statement of Ramil Madriaga, [3:24] who testified for the very first time in a public hearing. [3:28] Through his supplemental affidavit, [3:33] we were confronted with a staggering allegation [3:37] that confidential funds were spent, [3:43] not just in 11 days, [3:46] but were purportedly disposed of within a mere 24 hours. [3:54] Hindi labing isang araw sa halip 24 oras. [4:04] Milyones na naubos sa loob lamang ng isang araw. [4:10] Mabigat ang mga binitiwang salita ni Ramil Madriaga [4:15] at minsan pa siyang naiyak habang binabasa ang kanyang supplemental affidavit. [4:24] To back his words, [4:28] he signed a bank waiver [4:31] to prove that he has nothing to hide. [4:37] During one exchange, [4:39] Congresswoman Janet Garin [4:41] recalled the formally controversy [4:45] and could not hide her frustration [4:49] upon hearing Ramil Madriaga's allegation [4:53] that the Vice President's campaign [4:57] may have been financed [4:59] by formally an assertion [5:03] that if proven, [5:06] further deepens the seriousness [5:08] of the issues [5:09] now before this committee. [5:14] Third, [5:16] and with the help of Congressman Joel Chua, [5:19] we have adopted the records [5:23] from the Committee on Good Government [5:26] and Public Accountability [5:28] that testimonies of various resource persons [5:32] regarding the envelopes [5:35] and the questionable receipts [5:38] and other statements [5:41] given in that legislative inquiry [5:44] are now officially part [5:47] of this impeachment process. [5:53] Fourth, [5:54] we heard from the NBI expert [5:56] and their findings are very clear. [6:00] Kinumpirma nila [6:03] na base sa kanilang pagsusuri, [6:07] several question signatures [6:10] were actually signed [6:12] by one and the same person. [6:17] This proves [6:17] that there was [6:19] a pattern [6:20] and it raises [6:23] even more questions [6:25] about who was really [6:28] behind [6:29] these documents. [6:32] Magkakaiba [6:33] ang mga pangalan [6:34] ngunit [6:36] iisa [6:37] ang perma. [6:39] I will repeat, [6:40] magkakaiba [6:41] ang mga pangalan [6:43] ngunit [6:44] iisa [6:45] ang perma. [6:47] Fifth, [6:49] we heard [6:49] from a representative [6:50] of the PSA [6:52] who confirmed [6:54] that several [6:56] personalities [6:57] appearing [6:58] in the records [6:59] have no [7:00] corresponding [7:02] entries [7:03] in official [7:04] civil [7:05] registries. [7:06] kabilang dito [7:08] ang kontrobersyal [7:10] na pangalang [7:11] Mary Grace [7:13] Piatos [7:13] na [7:14] batay sa kanilang [7:16] verifikasyon [7:17] ay walang [7:19] umiiral [7:20] na PSA [7:21] record. [7:23] Si Mary Grace [7:24] Piatos [7:25] ay wala [7:26] sa data [7:27] ng PSA. [7:29] Sixth, [7:30] we heard [7:32] from [7:32] Attorney Gloria Camora [7:33] of the COA [7:35] who confirmed [7:37] that the [7:37] Commission proper [7:38] has resolved [7:40] the Vice [7:41] President's [7:42] appeal [7:42] on the [7:43] notice [7:44] of this [7:44] allowance [7:45] effectively [7:46] affirming [7:47] that this [7:48] allowance [7:49] covering [7:50] more than [7:51] 73 [7:52] million [7:53] pesos. [7:54] She further [7:56] disclosed [7:57] that the [7:58] COA [7:59] has issued [8:00] three [8:01] additional [8:02] notices [8:03] of this [8:03] allowance [8:04] indicating [8:06] continued [8:07] deficiencies [8:08] in [8:09] compliance. [8:11] These [8:11] developments [8:12] lend [8:14] significant [8:15] weight [8:16] to the [8:17] financial [8:18] irregularities [8:19] under [8:20] examination. [8:22] As noted [8:23] by Congressman [8:24] Chel Jocno [8:25] and Congressman [8:27] Antonio [8:27] Tino, [8:29] this [8:29] effectively [8:30] render [8:31] the [8:32] Vice [8:32] President [8:33] liable [8:34] to return [8:36] all these [8:37] amounts. [8:37] 73 [8:39] million [8:40] pesos [8:41] plus [8:42] 375 [8:44] million [8:45] pesos [8:46] to the [8:47] National [8:48] Treasury. [8:49] Ang [8:50] Vice [8:50] Presidente [8:51] ay may [8:52] pananagutan [8:54] na ibalik [8:55] ang [8:56] 73 [8:57] million [8:57] plus [8:58] 375 [9:00] million [9:01] total [9:02] of [9:02] 448 [9:04] million [9:05] sa [9:05] ating [9:06] National [9:07] Treasury. [9:09] And [9:09] when we [9:10] heard [9:10] all these [9:11] resource [9:11] persons, [9:13] the [9:13] committee [9:14] will [9:14] note [9:15] that [9:16] while [9:17] I [9:17] disallowed [9:18] certain [9:18] probing [9:19] questions [9:19] to [9:20] ensure [9:21] fairness, [9:22] I [9:22] nonetheless [9:24] permitted [9:25] all [9:26] inquiries [9:27] that [9:27] sought [9:28] to [9:28] clarify [9:29] the [9:29] truth. [9:30] On [9:31] that [9:31] note, [9:33] the [9:33] records [9:33] will [9:33] reflect [9:34] that [9:35] the [9:35] arguments [9:36] regarding [9:38] the [9:38] difference [9:39] between [9:40] credibility [9:40] and [9:41] character, [9:43] as well [9:43] as the [9:43] confusion [9:44] between [9:46] page numbers [9:47] and dates [9:48] were stricken [9:49] from the [9:50] record. [9:52] We [9:52] have done [9:53] this [9:53] to [9:54] maintain [9:54] the [9:55] integrity [9:55] and [9:56] order [9:57] of [9:57] these [9:57] proceedings. [10:00] Sa [10:00] kabuan, [10:02] what we [10:02] saw [10:03] was not [10:04] a single [10:05] piece [10:05] of [10:05] evidence, [10:06] but [10:07] a [10:08] body [10:08] of [10:09] evidence. [10:11] Hindi [10:11] paisa-isa, [10:13] kundi [10:14] magkakaugnay. [10:17] But [10:18] after the [10:18] hearing, [10:20] the story [10:21] did not [10:21] end there. [10:23] Sa [10:23] katunayan, [10:24] doon palamang [10:26] nagsimula [10:27] ang mas [10:29] malakas [10:29] na ingay [10:30] sa labas. [10:32] Marami [10:33] ang [10:33] nagulantang, [10:35] marami [10:36] ang [10:36] nag-react. [10:38] The [10:39] hearing [10:39] became [10:40] the [10:40] subject [10:40] of [10:41] headlines, [10:43] discussions, [10:45] statements, [10:47] particularly [10:47] from the [10:49] Vice [10:49] President. [10:51] However, [10:53] it is worth [10:54] noting [10:54] that instead [10:56] of addressing [10:57] the core [10:58] issues, [10:59] the [11:00] focus [11:00] shifted [11:01] to a [11:03] peripheral [11:03] matter. [11:05] Ang [11:05] academic [11:06] performance [11:07] umano [11:08] ng [11:09] Vice [11:09] Presidente [11:10] nung [11:11] siya'y [11:11] nag-aaral pa. [11:14] Samantalang, [11:16] ang [11:16] mas [11:17] mabibigat [11:17] na usapin [11:18] tungkol [11:20] sa [11:20] confidential [11:21] funds, [11:23] sa [11:23] mga [11:24] dokumento, [11:26] sa [11:26] mga [11:26] transaksyon, [11:28] ay [11:28] nananatiling [11:30] hindi [11:31] direktang [11:32] nasasagot. [11:34] Kumbaga, [11:36] sa [11:36] isandaang [11:37] ebidensya, [11:38] isa lang [11:39] ang [11:40] pinupuntiriya. [11:43] Let me [11:43] be clear, [11:45] this [11:45] committee [11:46] will not [11:47] take [11:48] anything [11:48] at face [11:49] value, [11:51] whether [11:51] said [11:51] inside [11:52] this [11:53] hall [11:53] or [11:54] outside [11:54] of it. [11:56] Hindi tayo [11:57] basta [11:57] maniniwala [11:58] sa ingay. [12:00] We [12:00] will [12:01] evaluate [12:01] everything. [12:04] Dahil [12:04] ang [12:04] katotohanan [12:05] ay [12:07] hindi [12:07] matatagpuan [12:08] sa [12:09] mga [12:09] press [12:10] release, [12:11] ito [12:12] ay [12:12] nakasandal [12:13] sa [12:14] mga [12:14] dokumento [12:15] at [12:16] sa [12:16] mga [12:17] salaysay [12:18] na [12:18] sinumpaan. [12:21] Sa [12:21] totoo [12:21] lang, [12:23] nag-ghost [12:24] na nga [12:24] tayo, [12:26] tila [12:26] ginagast [12:28] light [12:28] pa tayo. [12:30] Ang [12:30] mas [12:30] mahalagang [12:31] tanong [12:32] ay kung [12:33] nasaan [12:34] ang [12:34] pera. [12:36] Ngunit [12:36] ang [12:36] sagot [12:37] sa [12:37] atin [12:37] ay [12:39] tungkol [12:39] sagrado [12:40] sa [12:40] kolehyo. [12:42] And [12:42] the [12:43] worst [12:43] part, [12:44] this [12:45] explanation, [12:45] is [12:47] not [12:47] being [12:47] made [12:48] here, [12:49] but [12:49] everywhere [12:50] else. [12:52] Ang [12:52] gusto [12:52] natin [12:53] ay [12:54] testimonya [12:55] sa [12:55] inalim [12:55] ng [12:56] sumpa. [12:57] Pero [12:58] ang [12:58] ibinibigay [12:59] sa [12:59] atin, [13:01] press [13:01] release [13:02] at [13:03] content [13:04] sa [13:04] social [13:05] media. [13:07] Again, [13:08] let us [13:09] be [13:09] clear, [13:11] hindi [13:11] tayo [13:12] basta [13:12] maniniwala. [13:15] We [13:15] will [13:15] evaluate [13:16] everything. [13:18] Madriaga's [13:19] testimony, [13:21] COA [13:21] documents, [13:22] NBI [13:24] findings, [13:26] PSA [13:27] certifications, [13:29] lahat [13:30] ng ito [13:30] ay [13:31] kailangang [13:31] iharap [13:32] dito, [13:34] suriin [13:35] dito, [13:37] timbangin [13:38] dito, [13:41] pero [13:41] dapat [13:41] dito. [13:44] Humarap [13:45] ang [13:45] kailangang [13:46] humarap, [13:47] manumpa [13:48] at [13:49] magpaliwanag [13:50] dito [13:51] sa [13:52] committing [13:52] ito. [13:53] because [13:57] this [14:00] is [14:00] the [14:01] proper [14:01] forum. [14:05] Hindi [14:05] sapat [14:05] ang [14:06] magsalita [14:06] sa [14:07] labas. [14:09] If [14:10] there's [14:10] anything [14:10] to [14:11] clarify, [14:13] the [14:14] best [14:14] and [14:15] the [14:15] only [14:15] place [14:16] to [14:16] do [14:16] that [14:17] is [14:18] here, [14:19] before [14:20] this [14:20] committee, [14:22] under [14:22] oath [14:23] and [14:24] on [14:25] record. [14:27] And [14:28] that [14:28] brings [14:28] us [14:29] to [14:30] today. [14:32] Ngayong [14:32] April [14:33] 22, [14:35] Malinaw, [14:36] the [14:38] work [14:38] of [14:38] this [14:39] committee [14:39] continues. [14:41] Ang [14:41] mga [14:42] isyong [14:42] inilahad [14:43] ay [14:44] hindi [14:44] natapos [14:45] noong [14:45] nakaraan. [14:47] Today, [14:48] we [14:48] expect [14:49] further [14:49] evidence [14:50] from [14:52] the [14:52] Office [14:52] of [14:52] the [14:53] Ombudsman, [14:54] from [14:55] the [14:55] Bureau [14:55] of [14:56] Internal [14:56] Revenue, [14:58] from [14:58] the [14:58] Securities [14:59] and [14:59] Exchange [15:00] Commission, [15:01] and [15:01] especially [15:02] from [15:03] the [15:03] Anti-Money [15:03] Laundering [15:04] Council. [15:06] We [15:06] also [15:06] anticipate [15:07] testimonies [15:08] that [15:09] will [15:09] help [15:10] contextualize [15:11] the data [15:12] before [15:13] us. [15:14] And [15:14] that [15:14] includes [15:15] from [15:16] former [15:16] Senator [15:17] Sonny [15:17] Trillianes. [15:20] Kung [15:20] mapapansin [15:21] ninyo, [15:22] ang pag-uusapan [15:23] natin [15:24] ngayon, [15:25] mga [15:25] numero, [15:28] SALEN, [15:29] PAX [15:31] records [15:31] from [15:31] BIR, [15:33] reports [15:34] from [15:34] AMLC. [15:36] This [15:36] is the [15:37] part [15:37] where [15:38] the [15:38] numbers [15:39] have [15:39] to [15:39] be [15:40] studied, [15:42] compared, [15:44] analyzed, [15:46] and [15:46] numbers [15:47] take [15:47] note. [15:49] Unlike [15:49] people, [15:50] numbers [15:52] do [15:52] not [15:53] have [15:53] motives. [15:56] Numbers [15:57] do [15:57] not [15:58] lie. [15:59] Again, [16:01] numbers [16:01] do [16:02] not [16:02] lie. [16:05] At [16:05] dito [16:05] po, [16:07] nagiging [16:07] mas [16:07] mabigat [16:08] ang [16:08] usapan. [16:10] Because [16:10] when we [16:11] speak [16:11] of [16:11] numbers, [16:13] we [16:13] are [16:14] no [16:14] longer [16:15] dealing [16:15] with [16:15] opinion, [16:18] spin, [16:19] or [16:19] even [16:20] narrative. [16:22] We [16:22] are [16:22] confronting [16:23] code [16:24] and [16:25] yielding [16:25] facts. [16:26] Hindi [16:28] ito [16:28] napapakiusapan, [16:31] hindi [16:31] ito [16:32] natatakot, [16:34] hindi [16:34] ito [16:35] napipilit [16:35] magsinungaling, [16:38] a number [16:39] either [16:40] matches [16:41] or [16:42] it [16:43] does not. [16:47] At [16:47] higit [16:47] sa [16:47] lahat, [16:49] hindi [16:49] po [16:50] ito [16:50] basta [16:50] numero [16:51] lamang, [16:53] pera [16:53] ito [16:54] ng [16:54] taong [16:55] bayan, [16:57] pera [16:57] ito [16:58] ng [16:58] manggagawang [16:59] Pilipino [17:00] na [17:01] araw-araw [17:01] kumakayod [17:02] ng [17:04] pamilyang [17:04] nagtitipid [17:05] para [17:07] makabayad [17:07] ng [17:08] buwis [17:08] ng [17:09] bawat [17:10] Pilipinong [17:11] umaasa [17:11] na [17:13] ang [17:13] kanilang [17:13] ambag [17:14] ay [17:15] napupunta [17:16] sa [17:16] tama. [17:18] A [17:18] peso [17:19] is [17:20] either [17:21] accounted [17:22] for [17:23] or [17:24] it [17:25] is [17:25] missing. [17:29] At [17:29] kapag [17:30] pinagsamasama [17:31] ang [17:32] mga [17:32] numerong [17:33] ito [17:33] mula [17:35] sa [17:35] SALEN, [17:37] BIR, [17:39] AMLC, [17:39] they [17:41] begin [17:41] to [17:42] tell [17:42] a [17:43] story [17:43] which [17:45] no [17:46] press [17:46] conference [17:47] can [17:48] rewrite, [17:50] no [17:50] diversion [17:51] can [17:51] erase, [17:53] because [17:54] numbers [17:55] once [17:56] laid [17:57] bare [17:57] speak [17:59] with [18:00] a [18:00] clarity [18:01] that [18:02] cuts [18:02] through [18:03] noise. [18:04] And [18:05] when [18:05] they [18:05] point [18:06] to [18:06] a [18:06] discrepancy, [18:08] they [18:08] do [18:09] not [18:09] whisper, [18:11] they [18:11] demand [18:12] to [18:13] be [18:13] answered. [18:13] Kung [18:15] ayaw, [18:16] magsalita [18:17] ng [18:17] tao, [18:20] kung [18:20] ayaw [18:20] humarap [18:21] ng [18:22] vice [18:22] presidente, [18:24] hayaan [18:25] natin [18:25] na ang [18:26] mga [18:27] numero [18:27] ang [18:29] magkwento. [18:31] Sa [18:31] hearing [18:32] na ito, [18:33] we [18:33] shall [18:34] therefore [18:34] enter [18:35] the [18:36] territory [18:37] of [18:38] forensic [18:38] truth. [18:41] Sa [18:41] pamamagitan [18:42] ng [18:42] mga [18:42] numerong [18:43] ito, [18:44] malalaman [18:45] natin [18:45] ang [18:46] tunay [18:47] na [18:47] pagkatao [18:48] sa [18:48] likod [18:49] ng [18:49] posisyon. [18:51] Si [18:51] Yaba [18:52] ay [18:53] tunay [18:53] na [18:53] public [18:54] servant [18:54] o [18:55] isa [18:56] pa [18:56] lang [18:56] private [18:57] billionaire. [19:00] At [19:01] ang [19:01] direksyon [19:01] natin [19:02] ngayon [19:02] ay simple, [19:04] ngunit [19:04] matibay. [19:05] We [19:06] follow the [19:07] evidence [19:08] wherever [19:09] it leads. [19:11] Hindi [19:12] tayo [19:12] magpapadala [19:13] sa [19:13] ingay. [19:15] Hindi [19:15] tayo [19:16] lilihis [19:16] sa [19:16] proseso. [19:18] Ang [19:18] ating [19:19] sandigan [19:19] ay [19:20] ang [19:20] konstitusyon [19:21] at [19:22] ang [19:22] ating [19:22] layunin [19:23] ay [19:24] ang [19:24] katotohanan. [19:25] Because [19:27] in [19:27] the [19:27] end, [19:29] ang [19:29] tanong [19:30] ay [19:30] hindi [19:31] kung [19:31] sino [19:32] ang [19:32] pinakamalakas [19:34] ang [19:34] boses, [19:36] hindi [19:37] kung [19:37] sino [19:38] ang [19:38] pinakamaingay [19:39] sa [19:39] labas, [19:41] kundi [19:41] kung [19:42] saan [19:43] tayo [19:44] itinuturo [19:45] ng [19:45] ebidensya. [19:46] As we [19:48] see it [19:48] now, [19:51] the chair [19:51] right [19:53] before us, [19:55] it remains [19:56] empty. [19:59] At [19:59] tila, [20:01] sanay na po [20:01] tayo [20:02] sa [20:02] tanawing [20:03] iyan. [20:03] Ngunit kahit [20:06] bakante [20:07] ang [20:07] upoang [20:08] iyan, [20:10] even [20:10] if [20:10] that [20:10] chair [20:11] remains [20:12] empty, [20:14] this [20:15] room [20:15] is [20:15] full [20:16] of [20:16] the [20:16] people's [20:17] questions. [20:19] Napakaraming [20:20] tanong. [20:23] Mga [20:23] tanong [20:24] na sa [20:25] kabila [20:25] ng [20:26] pag-iwas, [20:27] hindi [20:28] mawawala. [20:30] Sa [20:30] kabila [20:31] ng [20:31] pananahimik, [20:33] hindi [20:33] maglalaho. [20:36] Mga [20:36] tanong [20:36] na [20:36] kailanman [20:37] ay [20:38] hindi [20:39] kayang [20:39] takasan [20:40] ng [20:41] bakanting [20:43] upuan. [20:45] Not [20:45] today, [20:48] not [20:48] anymore. [20:51] Let [20:51] the [20:51] evidence [20:52] speak. [20:54] Let [20:55] the [20:55] numbers [20:55] testify. [20:58] Let [20:58] the [20:58] chips [20:59] fall [21:00] where [21:00] they [21:00] may [21:01] be. [21:03] Let [21:03] us [21:03] finally [21:03] resume [21:04] this [21:05] hearing. [21:06] With [21:06] that, [21:08] this [21:08] committee [21:09] shall [21:09] proceed. [21:10] be.