SEC. ANDANAR:
Well, we will have to wait for the President to read or to know the statement of the Liberal Party now—it looks like it’s becoming to be political, now that the Liberal Party is coming in the fray. But we do expect the Liberal Party to support their member, who is Senator Leila De Lima.

Q:
How about, sir, Senator De Lima’s statement kahapon sa interview, she was saying na it’s a pure character assassination, siguraduhin naman daw na she was being attacked. May basis po ba… I suppose may basis ang Pangulo sa mga sinabi po niya kahapon.

SEC. ANDANAR:
Alam po naman natin na ang ating Pangulo po ay meron siyang poder na nagbibigay sa kanya ng mga impormasyon, ng mga intelligence reports, na hindi po natin nakukuha, tayong mga ordinaryong mamamayan. So, lahat po ng sinasabi ng Pangulo ay meron pong basehan at meron pong vetting process and let’s just wait for things to unfold kung ano po ang mangyayari dito sa nagiging exchanges — bitter exchanges — between the President and Senator Leila de Lima. Alam naman po natin na matagal na itong hidwaan ni Senator De Lima at ng ating Pangulo. Dati pa ho itong nangyari mula nung Mayor pa ho si Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, hanggang sa siya po ay kandidato pagkapangulo at ngayon po ay Pangulo na po siya ay tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang kanilang hindi pagkakaunawaan.

Q:
Hi sir. Actually, I would like to know your reaction na lang on the statement against De Lima. When you first heard the statement of President Duterte?

SEC. ANDANAR:
My reaction is maybe the President has had it already with all of the negative comments of Senator De Lima on the war against illegal drugs ‘no. Siguro napuno na po ang salop ng Presidente kaya po nasabi niya iyong mga sinabi niya nung mga nakaraang araw.

Q:
(inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR:
No, you know ito ay tulad nung nabanggit ko nga ay matagal na po itong isyu na ito between President Rody Duterte at ni Senator Leila De Lima. Noong mga panahon po na siya pa iyong sa Human Rights, eh doon po nagsimula iyan eh. So, tuloy-tuloy po hanggang ngayon and it has become a national telenovela.

Q:
Sir, if you could advice Senator De Lima, what would it be?

SEC. ANDANAR:
You know Senator De Lima does not need any advice, she is senator of the land, she is bright, she is gifted with all the wit in the world that you need, ‘no. So I’m sure she knows what she’s doing. Sino ba naman ako para mag-advice sa kanya.

Q:
(inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR:
Tuloy-tuloy po, Ma’am. Tayo po ay naka-focus sa mga programa ng ating Pangulo, programa po ng pagbabago. Iyong mga polisiya na nabanggit na po ng ating Pangulo na kanyang na-anunsyo na sa publiko na ginagawa natin sa 50 first days ng kanyang pagka-Presidente ay mas lalo po nating lalaliman itong pagtrabaho natin. Dahil hindi lang po tayo ngawa, tayo po ay isang administrasyon na may gawa.
Q:
Hello, sir. A group composed of victims of human rights (inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR:
Only the President can answer that question and only the President can change his mind and it’s only him who can tell us what will happen. Now—but today we stand with our belief, with the truth that the matter has been settled already when the President was running for President, when he was campaigning, when one of the questions of all of the media were asking, one of the question was: Are you in favor of the former President Ferdinand Marcos being buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani? And our President Rody Duterte, then as a candidate said, yes he is willing. And with that and with all his platforms the President won the presidency and it is understood that he has a mandate, that he has the mandate and he has a promise to deliver to the people who have voted for him or to the nation.

Q:
What the likelihood of him changing his mind?

SEC. ANDANAR:
As I said, it’s the President who can only answer that question. 
Well, let’s see kung ano ang mangyayari sa susunod na mga araw, hindi ba. Ano ba ang magiging desisyon ng Korte Suprema at iba pang… kung saan man dadalhin ito ng mga anti-Marcos.

Q:
Is there any review of the Paris Agreement? Would it be ratified or … (Inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR:
The President said in one of his interviews before that he was not in favor of this because of our economic situation in the country. But after the President spoke with the Secretary of State John Kerry, the Secretary of State convinced the President to change his mind and to consider the Paris Agreement in which the President answered affirmatively and the President also said that as long as it is fair to our economic situation and economic plans, then everything should be okay. So, may nakikita po tayong pagbabago — as long as ito po ay para sa ating bayan.

Q:
As far as you know is there already a schedule for you to convene the Climate Change Commission?

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Wala pa po akong alam sa schedule. It should be Secretary Gina Lopez who should initiate this ‘no. Ito kasi alam ko si Secretary Gina talaga iyong gustong kuma-usap kay Presidente about convening this. And also Senator Loren Legarda ‘no. So we will find out. That will be my assignment for you.

Q: 
(Inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Oh, he is. Okay. But the last time I was in Malacañang it was Senator Loren Legarda who told me that she is following this up, para ano.

Q: 
Ang question ko lang ho is your function sa PCO. Ano ba ang mga plan ninyo, in terms of your office especially in terms of new media, social media and the internet and also ano po plans ninyo o napag usapan ninyo, if you can share with us? (Inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Kasi… this is where civil society comes in and in supporting the programs of the President, including the Presidential Communications Office, marami po tayong plano. Nung tayo po ay pumasok dito sa trabaho na ito ay klaro po sa ating isipan na hindi lang po tayo isang Spokesperson or isang Taga-pagsalita ng gobyerno, kung hindi meron po tayong mga ahensiya na dapat patakbuhin, paganahin at merong mga problema doon sa mga ahensiya na dapat masolusyunan natin.

So I wear two hats, one is to speak on behalf of the government and one is to also manage the different agencies under PCO which includes: PTV, Channel 13, Radyo ng Bayan, National Printing Office, APO Production Unit, Philippine Information Agency and andyan po yung News and Information Bureau. Marami pong mga ahensiya iyan na matagal na pong hindi natutukan, lalong-lalo na po iyong mga mga nasa rehiyon. At paulit-ulit ko pong sinasabi na matagal na po nating naramdaman sa Mindanao na parang napabayaan po tayo, kaya ako po bilang Mindanaoan, sa ating Pangulo bilang Mindanaoan din, ay sinisikap po natin — lalong-lalo na po doon sa opisina po namin — na mabigyan-pansin iyung iba’t-ibang ahensiya sa mga rehiyon. Kasi kapag hindi po natin binigyan ng pansin ito ay hindi po natin mararating iyong pagbabago na gusto natin. And information/communication is very important in delivering all of the promises to the President and delivering all the policies which are the basis for running the country in a positive way. 
So marami pong proyekto. I think I have to sit down with you separately. I’ll have to also entertain other questions. Kasi medyo mahaba, thesis.

Q: 
I’d like to know also if… because the Freedom of Information, that Executive Order that the President issued, would he be willing to divulge the sources and the basis why or the expose against the senator and also on the basis of FOI? Would he be willing to divulge also what is behind the police operations against illegal drugs. Because we noticed that almost all of the police operations are saying the same things, that it was the suspect who fought back, and so will he be divulge?

SEC. ANDANAR:
The exemptions on the Freedom of Information should be out by the 28th of August. Now, we will find out if the questions, the information that you want are part of the exemptions. But I doubt it, because anything that has got to do with the intelligence gathering and anything that can ruin operations of our military or police, these are information that will be forbidden from public knowledge. But I could be wrong. I could be wrong. Let’s wait for that exemptions that the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice will submit to us.

Q: 
Yah, sir, but we are only asking for the information of those operations that have already taken place, and so I don’t think that it’s …

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Well, if you … there’s a caveat there. Kasi I’m not a lawyer, but I know that if you expose the Intelligence person who gathered the information, and that is a no-no in standard operating procedures of policemen and the military, otherwise, then, there will no longer be Intelligence service men in our country because everybody knows who they are.

Q: 
But would the President be willing to divulge the basis of his exposé on the Senator?

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Well, he did say that it is his prerogative as a President, it is his duty to serve and protect. And under the Freedom of Information, the information that he knows, only the President can divulge such information. He has immunity. We do not have immunity on this table; neither you have immunity. So if you say something that is libelous, then you can go to jail because you are not the President of the Republic. And the President fully understands his power, the power of immunity; and he also understands the power to pardon the policemen who, you know, get into trouble during the course of their operations in this anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Q: 
Sir, follow up ko lang po doon sa De Lima, De Lima thing. Will this serve as a warning to all politicians who will question the operations against illegal drugs na ganito rin iyong mangyayari sa kanila?

SEC. ANDANAR:
Well, ang Pangulo po natin ay mayroon po siyang pinanghahawakan na mga impormasyon na siya lamang ho ang mayroong access sa mga impormasyon na iyon. So, he is in dispositions of power of having all of this information as his beck and call.

Now, it should not be a warning, but it just so happened that the President holds such information. And we all know the history between the President and Senator De Lima, na maanghang po talaga ang kanilang palitan mula pa nung mayor pa po ang ating Pangulo at Human Rights Chairman si Senator De Lima, hanggang siya po ay naging Kalihim ,at si Mayor po ay Mayor pa rin, at habang sila’y tumatakbo po noong 2016. Alam po natin iyong history na ito. So it got to this point na mayroon pong hawak na pruweba ang ating Pangulo. Ngayon, alam po natin na ang Senato, during her time, ay pilit pong inuugnay ang ating Pangulo doon sa Davao death squad, pero wala po namang naipresenta na ebidensiya.

So ang ating Pangulo, mayroon po siyang ebidensiya na mag-uugnay – ito po ang ayon sa kaniya. So it’s a matter of proof na mayroon po ang isa’t isa. So nagkataon po na mayroon pong pruweba ang ating Pangulo sa mga sinasabi niya.

Q: 
Okay, second question ko po is tungkol sa LTFRB, in which sinabi na po ni Chairman Delgra na isa sa pinaka-corrupt na agency ang LTFRB. Initially din po sinabi niya na there’s no price to franchising, pero po iyong Cordillera Region is, I think it’s 200,000. In Davao City, iba rin po iyong presyo at iba-iba din po. Has it reached the Office of the President? And ano po iyong plano ng Presidente with regard to stopping this corruption in LTFRB?

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Malinaw po naman ang marching orders ng ating Pangulo. Ang marching orders niya po ay STOP and stop corruption. At kahit saang sulok po ng ating gobyerno, saang ahensiya man iyan, kung mayroon pong corruption ay kailangan pong pigilan. Trabaho po iyan ng LTFRB. Trabaho po iyan ng Department of Transportation under kay Secretary Tugade, and I am sure that he is on top of the situation.

Q:
Sir, can we expect, sir, na—

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Heads will roll.

Q: 
Hi, sir. Good morning po. Kay Sec. Martin and kay Father Joel Tabora. Sir, magaganap na po iyong peace talks, malapit na siya. So, sir, kasama po ba doon iyong mutilation ng NPA sa ating mga sundalo? That’s for Sec. Martin. And then, Father, what are your thoughts about the peace talks?

FATHER: 
We’re very, very happy that the peace talks are proceeding despite the wrinkles in the relationship earlier. As we know, the relationship of the rebellions that have been carried out by the CPP-NPA have, for a long time, for too long, brought suffering to the people especially here in Mindanao. So we are very, very happy that the talks continue.

Let me also say that we’re very, very happy with the related position of the government to stop illegal mines. As we know, the illegal mining has been a cause of unrest in Mindanao because of the impact of the mining on the Lumad which brings in the military, which brings in the NPA. So, we are happy that it’s not just the peace talks that are being addressed, but also the economic intrusiveness of the mines which have hurt the relations of peace here in Mindanao.

Q: 
Kay Sec. Martin. Sir, kasama po ba iyong mutilation ng mga NPA sa soldiers na mapag-uusapan doon sa peace talks, sir?

SEC. ANDANAR:
I am certain that all of the issues will be raised in Oslo when both panels, the government of the Philippines and the CPP-NPA-NDF, will be talking this August 22.

Q: 
To Secretary Andanar.
SEC. ANDANAR: 
I like your tattoo. Mukhang miyembro ka ng Dutdutan.

Q: 
Thank you, sir. Sir, there are many observations with regard to the immunity from suit of the President, and the powers with access to information, naa-abuse daw ito. What’s your reaction? And with regard to the moral issue against De Lima, wala daw ascendancy ang President because he himself is not morally upright daw?

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Well, ganito lang naman iyon ‘no, we have to understand which philosophy we are talking about, and which philosophy we are debating for. If you are debating for the ontological philosophy, as the church would ascribe to, then of course the end would be morality, right? But we are being utilitarian here. The solution to our drug problem should be utilitarian in such a way that it should be for the greater good of the greatest number that we have in this country.

If you look at the numbers, we have 600,000 and more, and counting of surrenderees and drug addicts and pushers surrendering themselves because they want to be reformed; they don’t want to be drug addicts anymore. And you have… what? A thousand people who have died because of this war against drugs. And the President Rody Duterte has time and again warned us during the campaign that if you vote for me, this is going to be bloody – time and again he said that. There’s no such war that there are no casualties. And I refer to the columns of Alex Magno, and he wrote that that there are no wars that there are no casualties, and there will be casualties. And there are already casualties in this war against drugs or illegal drugs.

We keep on hammering about, ‘Okay, ito extrajudicial killing,’ but you know, we have to qualify the extrajudicial killing. Is the extrajudicial killing done by the police force or is the extrajudicial killing done by vigilantes, or those who belong to the drug syndicates? And this is exactly why there is a Senate investigation. And our Chief of the Philippine National Police has submitted himself to defend the Philippine National Police, and to prove that the Philippine National Police is not into extrajudicial killings.

What was the other question? About the morality of … the questioning of the morality. You know, I am not in the position to answer that question.
Q:
Sir, just update on the planned state visit of President to Malaysia?

SEC. ANDANAR:
Ah, oo maganda iyan, maganda iyon. Actually, ano iyan eh. It all began with the conversation between me and Secretary Sonny Dominguez, on the traditional trips of the new presidents. They usually do a swing—

Q: 
ASEAN?

SEC. ANDANAR:
In the ASEAN countries ‘no. So the day, that was ano, that was mentioned, and our meeting was August 23 to 30, but then again, this is subject for approval of the President ‘no. Then we have a September 7, Lao—

Q:
September 6 to 8?

SEC. ANDANAR:
September 6 to 8; we have a September 6 to 8 Lao, a turnover chairmanship in the ASEAN, and most, if not all of the ASEAN heads of state will be there. And we should also… and we are also waiting for the confirmation of President Rody Duterte if he is attending the turnover ceremonies because we will be the chairman of ASEAN by next year, and it will be held here.

Q:
Launch will be in Davao?

SEC. ANDANAR:
Launch will be in the Davao.

Q:
January 6?

SEC. ANDANAR:
January 6, and then, there’s a March summit; and there’s another one, November, na kasama na po iyong Presidente ng Amerika ‘di ba, iyong Presidente ng China, at malalaking bansa.

Q: 
To Father Tabora. Sir, in the fifty first days of President Duterte, are you satisfied with his performance?

FATHER TABORA:
Yes. In general, yes. I think I have always read President Duterte to be a president for the poor, and this is, in general, my reading. Even the very controversial campaign against the abuse of drugs, for me, ultimately, his campaign that favors the poor. If you look at the barangays, you know, it’s really the life in the barangay level that’s being affected adversely by the drug culture. And in Metro Manila. I think some 92 percent of the barangays are affected by the illegal drug trade. So, it’s a battle, I think, that has to be fought despite the cry of people who are afraid of possible human rights violations. We must be fearful of these human rights violations with them, but I think the focus of the Duterte campaign is to protect those who are victimized by the illegal drug trade. And if some have said, “Thou shall not to kill,” one must also apply that to the 1.3 million or 3 million who are being killed not only individually but in their social lives, in their families by this illegal drug trade.

So, I would say, “Yes, I am satisfied with that,” even though an important action that must involve all of us is to support this trade by all that the United Nations consider to be the sustainable development goals like no more hunger, no more lack of sanitary water, etc., etc. We must be able to fight drugs also by bringing about the conditions where drugs are no longer necessary, and that involves all of us here. That’s why I am very, very happy with the drug trade… with the fight against the drug trade. The President is seriously moving towards social justice on the level of say, closing illegal mines, on the level of paying attention to the indigenous peoples, on the level of trying to bring about food security and justice for all. Even the campaign for peace, both with the Bangsamoro and with the NPA, is ultimately a social justice issue, you know, trying finally in our society to bring into development those who have been denied development by past administrations. So, if you’re asking me, yes, I am satisfied, but I think it’s only the 51st day, there has to be support of the population, support of the CSO’s for these activities, for the activities of the President, otherwise it will peter out.
We have to be very careful that our law enforcement agencies do not abuse their power. We have to call them to task for every death that is registered. We cannot be complacent even as we support a drive against drugs, So that would be my answer to your question.

Q:
Okay, Father… balikan po si Secretary Martin. Sir… What’s the take on the policy, previously si President… So, maybe ano po iyong position ng President Duterte?

SEC. ANDANAR:
You mentioned the postponement of the barangay election, (unclear)

Q:
Yes po.

SEC. ANDANAR:
Okay. As far as the Presidential Communications Office is concerned, we are ready for the barangay elections. The Comelec and and the National Printing Office have already agreed to, – I think the price of the printing ‘no, handa naman tayo. Now, we are just awaiting the President’s decision. I cannot preempt the President.

Q:
Sir, balikan ko lang po si Senator de Lima. Marami po kasing bumabatikos sa Presidente, why will the President focus on immorality and adultery if the issue was drugs.

SEC. ANDANAR:
I think the President mentioned that there was a connection between drugs and the Senator ‘di ba? ‘di ba mi-nentioniyon? Siguro those who are criticizing it are focusing on the other subjects of the President. You know, it’s subjective, you can say a few lines and subjectively you can just choose one line to ask a question about ‘no. Maybe they did ask a question about immorality instead of maybe asking the question on the illegal drugs connection.

Q:
Tungkol na lang sa—

SEC. ANDANAR:
Well, nasagot di iyon kasi kanya-kanya naman iyan ‘di ba, kanya-kanya namang opinyon iyan, kanya-kanya namang tanong iyan. To each his own—I’m sorry?

Q:
The last (unclear)

SEC. ANDANAR:
Maybe they can also focus on the drugs connection na sinabi ni Presidente. Maybe the critics can also ask that, and maybe the critics, you know, can also do their own due diligence in doing their own research, the same way that the critics would want us to do research on whatever the President says. But the President is the President, it’s his prerogative to say and… yeah. Now, puwede bang… can I launch the tabloid? Okay na ba?

Q:
(Off mic)

SEC. ANDANAR:
Last June ano, last June 30, we did promise ‘no, we did promise that we will already make, mula sa masa, para sa masa, or gikan sa masa para sa masa program here in Davao nationwide ‘no; nationwide, and to make it nationwide as a television show, and to make it nationwide as a national tabloid of President Rody Duterte. So ladies and gentlemen, habang wala pa po iyong TV show, at ginagawa pa po namin iyong studio doon sa Malacañang, please welcome ‘Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa tabloid. (claps/cheers).

Duterte, wagi sa giyera, kontra droga. Ito po ay libre mula sa masa para sa masa, the first edition, August 19 to 31, it will bi-monthly; it will be a bi-monthly tabloid produced by the Presidential Communications Office.

Q:
How many copies—

Sa ngayon po ay we have produce about 5, 000 copies pa lang sa ngayon. We are giving it to a select number of places ‘no. At kung gusto niyo po pakinggan, babasahin ko po ito, maganda po itong dyaryo na ito dahil mayroon pong entertainment book bukod po sa droga. And we’ve made it a point na drugs po iyong una nating—and I will give Father Tabora copy. That’s yours Father. That’s yours. And then maybe, we can ano, we can distribute. Okay sige, babasahin ko po, entertainment, para masaya. Ito po ay mayroon pong walong pahina. Maganda po ito, ito po iyong page ng showbiz page, babasahin ko po iyong showbiz page. Mga celebrity na nalulong sa droga, sino-sino sila? Beauty queen bumatak muna bago naging preacher. Dating child star nasira dahil sa bisyo. Mahusay na singer, kumupas ang galing ng maging addict. So, marami po ito, marami. Mayroon din po tayong sports sa likod. Ito po si Hidilyn ‘no, kino-congratulate po. Tapos na?

Q:
Most of the entertainment are blind items ano?

SEC. ANDANAR:
Blind items lang, oo. Hindi naman natin—siyempre ayaw naman nating makasuhan ng libel.

Q:
(unclear)

SEC. ANDANAR:
… Monday, kasi ito po first edition about drugs, tapos iyong mga susunod na edition po ay ibang mga polisya ng ating Pangulong Duterte. So—

Q:
(Inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Sa PIA po, gagamitin po natin ang ating network sa Philippine Information Agency para maipamahagi po ito sa mga kanayunan, sa mga barangay. Iyong mga hindi po naabot ng diyaryo o hindi po naabot ng TV o radyo, ito po, libre po ito.

Q:
(Inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR:
Twice a month, Ma’am.

Q:
Sir iyon pong mga OFW nagtatanong kung merong online version?

SEC. ANDANAR:
Magkakaroon po ng online version kaya nga iyong printing natin. Maybe si Mon can answer.

ASEC. MON CUALOPING:
We will also launch an online version of the tabloid, It’s called ‘News for Change.’ We are finalizing the URL with DICT. Hopefully, we will launch in the next three weeks. So may PDF version doon, meron ding curated content ng lahat ng news items about the President, the cabinet secretaries and the entire executive branch.

Q:
(Inaudible)

ASEC. CUALOPING:
Iyong video kanina, iyong 50 First Days, it will be aired now, 12 noon on PTV for the general public. It’s also being carried in SMX Channel 5. We will upload— after the airing on TV. We will upload the video content on Presidential Communications Facebook page.

SEC. ANDANAR: 
Para sa mga gustong mag-advertise, meron po kaming mga—malay mo baka merong mga Good Samaritan diyan na ayaw pagastusin ang gobyerno para mas lalong lumawak. Kung hindi po.

Q:
(Inaudible)

SEC. ANDANAR:
Ipa-photo copy nyo na lang, kung merong mga mayayaman, photocopy ninyo iyong ipamimigay ninyo. We are still doing estimate, pinag-aaralan natin, kasi of course aalamin natin kung ano iyong sa online, kung ano iyong reach niya, kasi lahat naman may budget. Pero maganda, di ba?

Q:
(Inaudible)

Q:
A graduate of Atene De Davao and I’d like to say that the university is really world class. I am now teaching in London. We are quite proud to say na si Digong ang ating Presidente. I’d like to mention actually, because, ang problema namin dito, sir – and I’d like to speak in English para (unclear) to understand. We have an imbalanced reporting ano. We saw news (unclear) about two months ago, a European-based Catholic newspaper, but the content of this is actually against Duterte. And I think that speaks volumes of the kind of media that is being presented against Duterte. So it’s good that you mentioned that there is an online version of this newspaper. (Coverage cut) A number, you know, of Filipinos who work outside of the Philippines needs to know not biased, hindi itong drama lang na napapakinggan, but the actual news, iyong (unclear) especially coming from Davao. Iyong mga kasama doon sa Luzon looking down on me (unclear) napakatalamak na, which is very shocking coming from (unclear). So again, I would like to praise you. Kung puwede lang online, if you can produce a certain copy to be distributed in each embassy, that will be (unclear) kasi we are liaising with the Philippine Embassy based in London. In fact, during the (unclear) process, sana matugunan din para magkaroon tayo ng mas comprehensive, factual at saka balances reporting.

SEC. ANDANAR:
Sir maraming salamat po sa inyong suggestion. Well taken. And sana magkausap po tayo after this. Ngayon alas-dose na po, wala po kaming mapakain sa inyo, kaya siguro maghiwa-hiwalay na tayo. Maraming salamat sa inyong panahon ,at maraming-maraming salamat po kay Father Tabora for the chance for us to be able to show you, to showcase our work sa gobyerno po. At kung anuman po ang puwedeng nating maitulong sa Atene De Davao, kung meron kayong kailangan, Father, just let me know, baka makatulong po tayo. Salamat.

FATHER TABORA: 
We were happy to have you here. You are always welcome.