USEC. ROCKY IGNACIO: Good afternoon, Malacañang Press Corps… mga puyat pa. Kasama na natin si Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.
SEC. PANELO: Good noon MPC, I am ready if you are.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Hi, sir. Sir, ito pinapatanong lang noong office ito sir. Reaction ng Palace with regards po sa ‘fewer voters daw ngayon ang naniniwala na may iregularidad na nangyari noong 2019 elections. So fewer na hindi sila naniniwala na may iregularidad na nangyari noong 2019 election po’ – anong reaction ng Palace?
SEC. PANELO: A few voters?
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Fewer voters daw po ang naniniwala na may—
SEC. PANELO: Na hindi. Na walang—
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Fewer voters na walang iregularidad ang 2019 election.
SEC. PANELO: Mayroon ba tayong magagawa kung iyan ang paniniwala nila?
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: But is it not positive, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Which one?
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Iyong paniniwala nila na walang iregularidad ang 2019 elections?
SEC. PANELO: There are some who said there were. There are some who said there were none. So, we will take it on that.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Ambush about Espino lang, sir. May I take the Palace—
SEC. PANELO: We issued already a statement on that.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Yes sir, can we have that for an ‘SLT’ purposes po?
SEC. PANELO: Well, we certainly condemn the kind of ambush. It’s a dastardly act against citizen of this country, and we will not allow criminal acts perpetrated by these transgressors of law. We will investigate the case thoroughly, PNP is in fact doing that and we will prosecute those who are behind the attempt at the life of the former Governor, Congressman Espino as well as the death of one of his security men.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC: Thank you, sir.
TINA PANGANIBAN-PEREZ/GMA7: Hello sir. Sir, reaction lang po doon sa statement ni former Secretary Del Rosario. He said that the government doesn’t need to set aside the arbitral ruling for a joint exploration with China. You can do it daw through a Philippine service contract arrangement and that way, the government will still be faithful to the Constitution and will not be abandoning the arbitral ruling.
SEC. PANELO: The problem with him is he talks a lot. But as the President says, he was behind the loss of Scarborough Shoal. And moreover, the setting aside doesn’t mean that we will abandon it. What the President means is that, as we have repeated said and as he has said too, the arbitral ruling is still subject to talks between the two countries; negotiation is ongoing peacefully. But meanwhile, we focus without other concerns that may mutually benefit the two countries.
TINA PANGANIBAN-PEREZ/GMA7: Sir, the former Secretary also said that between an economic activity in the EEZ and protecting our national patrimony, dapat daw doon tayo sa national patrimony because if we lose our EEZ, we will lose it forever.
SEC. PANELO: Again as I said, he talks too much. We’ve already responded to all his opinions and he should look at himself on the mirror and admit that he’s the one responsible for losing Scarborough Shoal.
TINA PANGANIBAN-PEREZ/GMA7: Sir, on another topic po. May napili na po ba si President na permanent na maghe-head po sa BuCor? Because yesterday, Senator Bong Go said that if he were asked by the President, he would recommend that a killer head the Bureau of Corrections.
SEC. PANELO: A killer?
TINA PANGANIBAN-PEREZ/GMA7: A killer. He did not elaborate, but he just said ‘a killer’.
SEC. PANELO: The President has not made any announcement on that, so we’ll just have to wait for his appointing a person to replace Chief Faeldon.
VIRGIL LOPEZ/GMA NEWS ONLINE: Hi sir. What qualities is the President looking for a new—
SEC. PANELO: Apart from being a killer?
VIRGIL LOPEZ/GMA NEWS ONLINE: Um, probably [laughs].
SEC. PANELO: Per Senator Bong.
VIRGIL LOPEZ/GMA NEWS ONLINE: Ano ba dapat iyong new BuCor Chief sir, kasi nakailang palit na eh?
SEC. PANELO: You know, the President has only two qualifications – honesty and competence.
USEC. ROCKY IGNACIO: Sir may tanong ang taga-TV5, Ms. Jenny Dongon. Ang tanong niya dito: “Reaction daw ng Palace nang lumutang ang pangalan ni Janet Lim Napoles sa Senate hearing?”
SEC. PANELO: As we have said, let the investigation proceed and let the truth come out and thereafter, heads will roll.
NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.NET: Sir, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin yesterday refuted the President’s statement saying that China has never made setting aside the arbitral award as a prerequisite to the joint exploration deal. Any comment, sir?
SEC. PANELO: He—what does—
NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.NET: Because the President in his speech on Tuesday said that the energy deal or the joint exploration deal was okay with China if the Philippines will drop its claim in the South China Sea.
SEC. PANELO: No, that is not what he said. He did not say that Philippines will drop the claim. What, as he said, the arbitral ruling is still subject to peaceful talks – iyon ang ibig sabihin noon. In other words, impasse pa eh kaya hayaan mo muna silang mag-usap; so let’s talk about other things like this joint exploration. So hindi, he’s not refuting actually the President.
NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.NET: No. May I just quote the President? The President said sir, parang echoing what President Xi said: “Set aside your claim then allow everybody connected with the Chinese companies.”
SEC. PANELO: Iyon na nga, kaya nga pinapaliwanag ko na—that’s why I’m explaining to you the context by which he said that. By that he means, pinag-uusapan pa rin peacefully. Kumbaga, hindi kino-confront immediately. Nag-uusap pa rin kung how to resolve it. Not set aside, but set aside in the sense na, “O sige, pag-usapan natin iyan, tuloy pa rin natin ang usapan.” Iyon ang ibig sabihin noon, hindi iyong naka-focus ka lang doon.
As we have always said, the relationship between the two countries is not measured by the conflict in the West Philippine Sea alone.
MARIAN: Hi sir. Sir, Senator Grace Poe this morning said that President Duterte should consider tapping a traffic expert to solve the Metro Manila traffic problem and it shouldn’t be Secretary Tugade.
SEC. PANELO: Maybe she should give us a name; Senator Grace.
MARIAN: Okay sir. And then sir, ito po iyong quote niya: “At least, when it comes to traffic and when it comes to dealing with the solutions for the traffic mess, I think that somebody else should take his place,” referring to Secretary Tugade.
SEC. PANELO: No, with respect siguro sa traffic czar – not with respect to Secretary…
MARIAN: So, is the Palace considering—
SEC. PANELO: That’s why my response is: maybe Senator Grace has a person in mind, why don’t she come out with it.
MARIAN: Okay sir. And then sir, is the Palace considering tapping a traffic expert to help with the traffic problem in Metro Manila?
SEC. PANELO: Everything will be considered – to solve the traffic problem in EDSA.
MARIAN: Does the Palace still trust in Secretary Tugade’s capability to handle the traffic problem?
SEC. PANELO: Of course, Mr. Tugade has already laid out the table in the senate. He is suggesting that emergency powers be granted to the President as he previously did. But the problem is he wasn’t able to get it, that’s why the President was no longer interested.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC 13: Sir follow up lang po. Sabi ni Senator Grace Poe, ikinalungkot daw niya ang sinabi ni Pangulong Duterte na iiwanan sa current state ang EDSA. I mean the traffic in EDSA. What’s the Palace take on this, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Ikinalulungkot niya, nalulungkot din ako para sa kanya. Kasi, kung hindi nila kinontra iyong pangangailangan at that time, siguro wala na tayong problema sa EDSA.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC 13: But sir sabi ni Senadora, she is not daw in driver seat, when it comes to traffic, that’s actually the administration.
SEC. PANELO: But precisely they were given nga the option, ito ang solusyon namin diyan: Kailangan ng emergency powers ni Presidente, bigyan ninyo siya. Pero ang naging sagot niya, kung sino man iyong iba pa: Eh baka daw magkaabuso, baka mag-korapsyon, kaya nayamot si Presidente, ah ganun, oh sige bahala na kayo diyan.
JINKY BATICADOS/IBC 13: Sir, one last naniniwala daw siya na kailangang mag-resign ni Secretary Tugade?
SEC. PANELO: Ah hindi ako naniniwala doon.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: Sec, but is the President not willing to set aside iyong kanyang feelings or iyong kayang reactions kay Poe for benefit of commuters doon sa EDSA. Kasi it appears parang dahil napikon siya kay Senator Poe, eh parang bahala kayo diyan. Hindi ba siya willing na i-sacrifice?
SEC. PANELO: I think, I already responded to that. I said depende na sa Presidente iyon kung magbago ang isip niya, kasi kung nandiyan na iyong emergency powers eh. So he has the option either to veto it or to approve it. That’s his call, Ace. We cannot force him.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: But isn’t his responsibility to address the traffic something higher than what he personally feels about the claim or—
SEC. PANELO: You are speculating, that he will not accede to whatever powers that is granted to him. Eh nag-i-speculate ka pa lang noon. When the time comes that he refuses it, he declines it, he vetoes it. That’s the time you make your comments.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: So there’s a possibility that he can—
SEC. PANELO: If you are talking possibilities – sky is the limit. Antayin na lang natin.
ACE ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: So, possibility includes what?
SEC. PANELO: Lahat iyon probable, alam mo naman si Presidente di ba, he announces something and then when circumstances change, he changes his position.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Sir, just to clarify quickly. Saan po kayo humugot doon sa naging paliwanag ninyo? Kasi sinabi ng Pangulo, well based on the Q&A of Joseph and the President. Ang question it was clearly: really certify po the SOGIE Bill as urgent. Duterte: Yes.
SEC. PANELO: The basis there is the subsequent explanation of the President. When he said meron na ako niyan sa Davao noon, iyong anti-discrimination law – so, he was actually referring to that. Moreover, I will repeat, what I said with respect to anti-discrimination against this particular class that can be included in the general anti-discrimination law. Nakita ko kagabi plinash (flashed) iyong mga topics doon sa anti-discrimination law kay Senator Angara, nandoon eh. So, pareho din iyon.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: So, para everybody happy.
SEC. PANELO: Kasi nga, hindi pupuwede kasing class legislation, di i-include mo na lang and even Congresswoman Roman said so herself that they are welcoming that.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: So everybody that is, or would be subject to discrimination happy, at hindi lang iyong LGBT community.
SEC. PANELO: I think so, because this is an anti-discrimination bill, so, pasok lahat. All forms of discrimination against any person or particular class of persons.
GENALYN KABILING/MLA BULLETIN: Sir on Joma Sison. He said that arrest warrant against him was politically motivated. And he cannot be extradited from The Netherlands. What’s your take on it?
SEC. PANELO: He always says that naman eh. Ang problema mayroon na siyang warrant, so moot and academic lahat ng mga sinasabi niya. They were given the opportunity to rebut the evidence submitted before the court, or prior to that, the preliminary investigation. Prosecutors found probable cause filed before the Regional Trial Court and the Court finds probable cause, oh eh papaano pa.
GENALYN KABILING/MLA BULLETIN: So, sir he can be extradited from The Netherlands? The government can coordinate with the foreign government there?
SEC. PANELO: Yes, why not. If the Netherland government allows it, eh nasa sa kanila rin iyon. But until such time as he faces the music, may problema siya. He should unchain himself from that illusionary dream of ousting the present dispensation. 50 years plus na iyon eh.
MARIANNE: Kunin lang sir iyong Palace comment. Yesterday, sir 7 undocumented Chinese nationals were arrested in Masinloc, Zambales for illegal dredging. According to them 10 months na daw sila doon, sir. What are your thoughts on this, sir?
SEC. PANELO: They are ten months, saan naka-detain?
MARIANNE: Ten months na sila sir, na nag-i-illegal dredging, eh bawal po iyon, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Saang lugar ito?
MARIANNE: Masinloc, Zambales, sir.
SEC. PANELO: Oh, then the local governments of Zambales should take responsibility for that.
MARIANNE: Does the Palace view this as a threat, sir iyong mga Chinese nationals na nagde-dredge po doon?
SEC. PANELO: If they are dredging because of business.
MARIANNE: Undocumented sila sir?
SEC. PANELO: Oh eh, that means illegal. The Zambales government should have done something about it.
MARIANNE: How does the Palace view this sir? Is it a threat to our—?
SEC. PANELO: It’s an illegal act and therefore they should be prosecuted, that’s it.
We have a guest, the beauteous, Miss Liza Diño. The head of the Film Development Academy of the Philippines, ah council pareho din iyon. She is the chair. So, may I have your presence here and have the floor.
CHAIR DIÑO: Thank you Spokesperson Panelo. Magandang tanghali po sa inyong lahat. It’s my third year here and parang naging tradition na rin po namin sa Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino na mapaunlakan ng imbitasyon ng Malacañang para maipahatid sa ating mga kababayan na this year. Actually today, it’s the 100th birthday of Philippine cinema.
And as for Presidential Proclamation 622, noong November 8 po ay ang ating mahal na Pangulong Duterte ay pinirmahan ang official declaration ng 100 years of Philippine cinema from September 12, 2019 to September 11, 2020. So, actually in line with this event, we are holding today Sine Sandaan.
It’s celebrating the luminaries of Philippine cinema. It’s going to be held at the New Frontier Theater mamaya pong hapon kung saan more than 300 pong luminaries na talagang humubog sa pelikulang Pilipino ay magsasama-sama po mamayang gabi upang isilebra at ipagdiwang ang ika-100 taon ng pelikulang Pilipino.
Mayroon po tayong mga 1,000 guests na manggagaling sa iba’t ibang sektor mula sa gobyerno pati sa mga iba’t- ibang institusyon. Kaya excited po kami dahil after 100 years, in this 100th year celebration of Philippine cinema ay magsasama-sama po ang iba’t-ibang sektor ng industriya.
And paparangalan po namin ang lahat; simula po sa mga tao na nasa likod ng kamera, pati po ang mga taong nasa iba’t-ibang genre ng paggawa ng pelikula, pati po ang ating mga icons. So hinihimok po namin ang lahat na sana po ay suportahan ang ika-100 taon ng pelikulang Pilipino dahil naniniwala naman po ako na lahat po tayo, at some point in our lives, cinema is a very, very big part of us. And the reason why Philippine cinema has reached this 100 years is because of the support of our audience; ang suporta po ng ating mga manunood na Pilipino na talagang walang sawa pong sumusuporta sa lahat ng mga film makers natin, lahat po ng mga producers natin na nagbibigay ng iba’t-ibang kuwento na sumasalamin sa buhay nating lahat.
And because this month is… we hope and we aspire that we can enjoin our legislators to hopefully declare September as Philippine movie industry month, and for the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino to be institutionalized as the celebration of the Philippine Movie Industry Month. Ngayon po, ngayon po namin sini-celebrate ang Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino in line with this celebration, and we are very pleased and proud to present you with ten beautiful films that represent the history of our Philippine cinema. I’d like to share with you the titles of the films, at alam ko pong … siguro you’ve come across these in the commercials, in the ads because napakasipag po ng ating mga film makers na mag-promote at talagang i-share ang pelikula sa lahat ng sulok ng bansa:
We have the “Panti Sisters” directed by Jun Robles-Lana, starring Christian Bables, Martin Del Rosario and Paolo Ballesteros;
We have “Lola Igna” directed by Eduardo Roy, starring one of the living legends of Philippine cinema, Ms. Angie Ferro;
“I’m Elenya L” with Maris Racal and Iñigo Pascual, directed by Dos Quizon – it’s his very first film;
“Circa” With the oldest working professional actress here in Philippine cinema — Ms. Anita Linda, directed by Adolf Alix;
“Open” directed by Andoy Ranay with Arci Muñoz and JC Santos;
“Pagbalik” this is our only Visayan film and it was all in Visaya, paying homage to the time that we have a very prosperous and very fruitful, productive Visayan film Industry. This is directed by Suzette Ranillo, and starred by none other than the Queen of Visayan movies, Ms. Gloria Sevilla;
We also have “Watch Me Kill” directed by Ty Acierto with Jean Garcia in her first femme fatale assassin role;
“Cuddle Weather” directed by Rod Marmol, with Sue Ramirez and RK Bagatsing;
And “LSS” directed by Jade Castro, with Gabbi Garcia, Khalil Ramos, and the very famous indie band na talagang sinusuportahan ngayon at tinatangkilik, ang Ben and Ben; and they are also co-producers of this film;
And “G!” directed by Dondon Santos with Jameson Blake and McCoy De Leon.
And we will also have a special limited screening of the film that just won the special jury prize in the recently held Venice International Film Festival – one of the most important film festivals in the world. The title of this film is “Verdict,” directed by Raymund Ribay Gutierrez, starring Maxine Eigenmann and the late Christopher King – this is actually his last film. And right now, it’s doing the rounds of international film festivals all over the world, again giving recognition to Philippine cinema. It is now in Toronto. It was just in Telluride Film Festival. Mga A-list film festivals po ito na talagang tumutulong po sa atin na i-promote po ang pelikulang Pilipino.
I’d like to share with you the trailer of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. Thank you.
[TRAILER]
Bilang pasasalamat po sa pagpapaunlak ninyo ngayon and for always supporting us, mamimigay po kami ng passes ngayon sa inyong lahat. At iniimbitahan ko po kayo mamayang hapon, mamaya pong gabi – Sine Sandaan po, mayroon po tayong around 300 stars from the industry, our luminaries who will be very, very happy to have you supporting them in this very, very momentous event – a once in a lifetime occasion in the history of Philippine cinema.
Maraming, maraming salamat po sa imbitasyon ninyo.
USEC. IGNACIO: Salamat Ms. Liza Diño; Secretary?
SEC. PANELO: Thank you, Ms. Liza. We expect you to be there to tonight. The President will be—no, I’m representing him, I was assigned to represent him. Pero maraming artista roon; Ace, pagkakataon mo na. Si Nora?
Si ano, nandoon ba? Sino nga iyong Ms. Universe natin?
Iyon, si Pia, si Wurtzbach.
USEC. IGNACIO: Okay. Thank you, Secretary.
SEC. PANELO: Thank you. Thank you, MPC.
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Source: PCOO-NIB (News and Information Bureau-Data Processing Center)
