Q: There’s suspicions because of the timing of this announcement. Considering na parang the talk of the town is iyong criticisms about the hosting of SEA Games na parang this is—
SEC. PANELO: No. You know the hosting SEA Games is only limited to that cauldron and majority of the Filipinos are criticizing the opposition… or that particular person for criticizing the making of a cauldron by a National Artist. I think there is a unanimity of opinion that the criticism is without ground.
Q: Sec, hindi iyong cauldron, iyong aberya ngayon noong ibang—
SEC. PANELO: But you know, we already issued a statement on that and the SEA Games organizers have apologized. You know, you cannot discount any delays, incident of non-transport or late checking in given the fact that there are so many athletes coming to the Philippines, natural lang iyon.
Q: Pero, Sec, why not just respond. Kasi we understand Vice President Leni already sent a letter seeking clarification on the scope of her powers. Bakit hindi na i-respond muna, baka sakaling pag sumagot si Presidente baka maliwanagan siya—
SEC. PANELO: As I told you, Ace – during the previous press briefing – one; that, it’s too late in coming. Second; the very question precisely has already been answered by the very executive order creating that ICAD, it’s there. That is why if you remember during the press briefing I have been suggesting to her, you need some more powers, then you seek audience with the President. Don’t let the President invite you; it should be you, because you are now the appointee and it’s your duty, if you so desire, see the President and ask him if you have some more powers in mind to be added to yours. But she never did that. She did that only when the President already made a public statement against her.
Q: So how would you assess the performance of Vice President Leni?
SEC. PANELO: Well, apparently—
Q: For the past 20 days, was it like, wala, zero?
SEC. PANELO: You know, my suggestion from the very start is—since you have criticized the administrations’ drive against illegal drugs as being one a failure or ineffective, then you must have already some ideas or measures or tacks in your mind. But you never presented that. For the last three or four weeks, we have not heard of that, whether publicly or privately.
Q: So, she’s a failure?
SEC. PANELO: Apparently. And you know – as I said in my statement – when the issue is the very lives of people, delay of one day is like eternity. This government cannot just twiddle its thumb and sit idly waiting for a show of flashes of brilliance from the Vice President to perform.
Q: But wouldn’t you say that 20 days is short, considering that the President—
SEC. PANELO: It’s not even 20 days, more than that.
Q: Considering the President has promised during the campaign that he could solve the drug problem in six months?
SEC. PANELO: Yes, but she never presented any program at all. Have you heard her present any problem? Moreover, you must remember that it’s the VP Leni herself asking the President to fire her; don’t forget that. If you were the appointing power, how would you receive that kind of dare and taunt.
Q: I think the statement coming from the Vice President was sabihin na lang niya if—
SEC. PANELO: Exactly! Oh ano ba ang tingin mo doon. ‘If you don’t want me, tell me to my face.’ in effect, ganoon ang sinasabi niya, di i-fire mo ako.
Q: So, is the President offended by—
SEC. PANELO: In other words, the President is calling the dare. If she was bluffing, well the President just called the bluff. Dalawa ang humihingi ng firing niya eh: iyong presidente ng Liberal Party, where she belongs; and herself. Eh dati ka na ngang maraming missteps, dadagdagan mo pa, ikaw pa ang nagmamalaki, eh medyo—
Q: How would you respond to critics who would say na… parang the Vice President, kasi nga, ready na ba kayo sa akin—
SEC. PANELO: Matagal ko nang sinabi iyon, di ba nung unang araw pa lang, sinabi niya eh, ‘ready na ba kayo sa akin?’ O di ba sabi ko, ‘matagal na, kaya ka nga in-appoint eh.’
Q: Kaya nga sir, parang at least—
SEC. PANELO: Eh wala nga siyang ginawa eh. Can’t you understand that? Kasi kung ako iyong… in her position, I would have presented a program kaagad. This is my program, Mr. President.
Q: Did the Vice President ever request to meet with the President?
SEC. PANELO: Never nga eh, di ba first day pa lang sina-suggest ko iyon. Di ba tinanong ninyo ako: What could the Vice President do? She could seek audience with the President. I said earlier di ba sabi ni Presidente, I’ll appoint her member of the Cabinet. O member ka na ng Cabinet, dapat nag-request ka na kaagad, eh nag-aantay pa siya ng imbitasyon. Eh ang problema kasi nakikinig siya sa mga advisers niya eh. Mas maganda na iyong noong tinanggap niya hindi siya nakinig eh, sana tinuloy-tuloy niya na.
Q: Sir, hindi ba na foresee ng administration na this is exactly what the Vice President will do when she gets the position? Considering iyong mga criticism niya, yung public statements on how the drug war should be run.
SEC. PANELO: Hindi naman, alam mo ang tao puwede namang magbago eh. Precisely binibigyan ka nga ng opportunity to change your outlook, kasi nandoon ka na sa loob eh, Iba kasi iyong outlook mo pag nasa labas ka, kaysa iyong nandoon ka sa loob. Hindi ba meron siyang—pinupuri niya ngayon iyong isang rehabilitation center eh, kasi nakapasok siya eh, nakita niya na. Iyon nga ang kaibahan, kaya nga pagkakataon na sa kanya sana eh, but she blew it.
Q: With regard iyong claim ninyo na wala siyang prinesent na program, well previous report quoted her as saying—
SEC. PANELO: That?
Q: She already submitted two recommendations, that she was about to submit the third one?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi, ano na iyon subsequent to the public statement of the President. Di ba Tuesday bumanat si Presidente, Tuesday din nag-submit siya nung scope of authority niya and then subsequent to that, nag-submit pa raw siya ng dalawa; subsequent to that scope of authority query.
Q: Sir, ano iyong respond ng Presidente when he read—
SEC. PANELO: Eh una tinanong ko siya, ‘Mr. President natanggap mo ba? Eh sabi niya, ‘alam mo, alam mo naman iyong mga dokumento, parang ikaw iyon, iyong la mesa mo.’ Pag dumating ang sulat, hindi naman kaagad mababasa iyon, sa dami, sa dami siyempre, kumbaga nakapila ka diyan.
Q: Eh, Sec, bakit hindi na lang basahin ninyo muna para… baka malay mo, maayos iyong ipinadala?
SEC. PANELO: Ikaw naman, this is the President doing something for the country, ang daming trabaho ng Presidente, noon pa sana niya ginawa iyon. Hindi ba sabi ko, first day of appointment pa lang, dapat umano ka na kaagad kay Presidente eh. You could have knocked at the door of Malacañang. Kung iyong ordinaryong tao, nakakapasok sa Malacañang, iyon pang Bise Presidente?
Pero sabi niya, ‘I will not go there unless invited.’ Sabi ni Presidente, ‘ha?’ Bakit ka mag-a-antay sa appointing power na imbitahan siya, in-appoint na nga kita eh, di do your work.
Q: Sir, based on the statements of the Vice Presidente parang she focused a lot of her efforts on rehabilitation. Was this something that the President did not like as far as her direction was—
SEC. PANELO: Anong pinokus sa rehabilitation, may ginawa na ba siya sa rehabilitation?
Q: Sir, from her statement—
SEC. PANELO: Bumisita lang siya, hanggang doon lang. Alam mo kung talagang meron kang magandang proyekto, meron ka nang programa: ito ang gagawin natin; ito iyong ginagawa niyo, ito yung akin.
Hindi kasi—you must remember that she had been criticizing the administration. When you are criticizing a work, that means alam mong mali iyang trabaho mo, meron akong mas maganda diyan; otherwise, hindi ka magki-criticize. How will you know na failure iyan kung hindi mo alam na merong mas maganda na magsa-succeed. But she never presented any program.
Q: Pero sir, you just admitted that the Palace has received iyong mga programs na sinend ni VP—
SEC. PANELO: Hindi. Ang sinasabi ni Presidente, kung nandiyan man iyan, hindi ko pa nababasa iyan. Kasi siyempre pag may request ka, eh di ba ang dokumento everyday nagpa-pile up iyan.
Q: So Sec, it’s not entirely accurate to say din na wala siyang sinabmit or wala siyang pinadalang—
SEC. PANELO: But after na binanatan siya. Iyon ang pinupunto ko kanina pa eh, hindi ninyo ako iniintindi. Nag-submit lang siya nung sinabi na ni Presidente, ‘hindi ako nagtitiwala sa iyo, dahil iyong mga ginagawa mo mali.’ That was the time siyang nag-submit.
Q: So, sir what will the President do with those recommendations? Will he still read, consider those?
SEC. PANELO: Ewan ko, eh lahat naman binabasa ni Presidente, whether he will act on it—eh si Presidente naman kung maganda ang suggestion mo.
Q: So, sir, can we say that the Palace did not exert any effort to consider—
SEC. PANELO: Bakit naman the Palace … bakit naman the Palace will be exerting effort? The Vice President should have exerted effort na from day one pa lang ay mayroon na siyang prinisentang programa?
Q: From day one, sir.
SEC. PANELO: Of course. As I said, kini-criticize mo iyong trabaho ng gobyerno, mayroon ka nang alam na mali at mayroon ka nang alam na suggestion anong dapat gawin. Kasi kung hindi mo alam alin ang tama, how can you say na mali ang ginagawa mo. You get the point? How can you criticize something if you don’t even know if that’s good or not.
Q: Sir, in appointing VP Leni, what are the expectations of the administration on how she will do her job?
SEC. PANELO: Sinagot ko na rin iyan. Tinanong mo na rin iyan noon. Ang administration will not expect something from you. Kaya ka in-appoint dahil ikaw ang nag-umpisa na ‘mali iyan’. Ah okay mali, oh sige, ano bang … i-appoint kita para makita mo iyong maganda. Eh wala ka namang ginawa eh.
Q: So the moment that she accepted the post, she should have already proven—
SEC. PANELO: Dapat mayroon na siyang programa kaagad. Kasi bakit ka nagki-criticize na masama eh kung hindi mo pala alam na mayroon kang mabuti.
Q: Bakit po kaya hindi tinawag, halimbawa, ni Presidente si—
SEC. PANELO: Bakit nga siya tatawagin, sinabi—ikaw rin, hindi ka nakikinig eh. Ang sabi ko sa iyo, ang sabi ni Presidente, ‘Bakit ako ang tatawag sa kaniya? In-appoint ko na nga siya eh. It’s her job to come to me and explain to me what do you want.’ Ano pang gusto mo? Sabihin mo sa akin kung ano ang gusto mo.
Q: Pero, sir, ‘di ba there was an initial plan to invite the Vice President? Because I recall parang there was a statement from the Palace saying that the President will invite—
SEC. PANELO: Oo, sinabi niya. Kasi alam mo naman si Presidente, gentleman iyon, ‘Imbitahan ko iyan.’ Pero ikaw, you don’t have to be invited, in-appoint ka na nga eh; chairperson ka na nga.
Q: May reaksiyon lang po ang Liberal Party—
SEC. PANELO: Anong sabi?
Q:—sa pamamagitan ni Senator Kiko Pangilinan. Babasahin ko na po sa inyo ito para makuha po ninyo: “Marami ang natuwa at humanga sa pagtanggap ni VP Leni ng nasabing alok. Sumabog sa mukha nila ang kanilang tangkang pahiyain si VP Leni. Sa maikling panahon, ipinakita ni VP Leni na hindi solusyon ang araw-araw na patayan ng mga mahihirap na drug user habang pinapakawalan at pinu-promote ang malalaking drug lord, ninja cops at mga protector nila. Pinatunayan din nitong pagtanggal kay VP Leni na wala silang isang salita. Sa katunayan, iyong palpak na war on drugs, ginawa nilang war on VP. Malacañang did not just blink. Para silang napuwing nang todo-todo. Umatras dahil sa takot at pangamba na lalo pang lumawak ang suporta kay VP Leni bunga nang mas maayos at higit na epektibong kampaniya laban sa iligal na droga, agad-agad nilang tinanggal siya sa ICAD. At dahil sa maraming kapalpakan sa Southeast Asian Games ang naglilitawan ngayon, pwede ring ginagamit na panakip-kaldero o panglihis sa mga anomalya ang pagtanggal kay VP Leni as ICAD co-chair.”
SEC. PANELO: In other words, hindi matanggap ni Francis Pangilinan, ni Kiko, na isa siya sa dalawa, kasama na si Leni, ang naghamon kay Presidente na tanggalin na lang si VP Leni. Ano ba iyong sinasabi ninyong ano… iyong sinasabi ni Kiko Pangilinan na pinatunayan daw ni VP Leni na hindi kailangan araw-araw may namamatay. Tanong ko sa inyo? Mula ba noong naging chair siya, mayroon bang namatay o nawala? Mayroon bang labanan na walang buhay na natanggal? Tingnan ninyo ang briefer, ganoon pa rin eh; it’s the same.
Kasi iyong pagkamatay ng isang pulis o pagkamatay ng isang suspect, hindi depende iyon sa gustong pumatay ng tao kung hindi depende kung iyong subject ng arrest mo ay lalabanan ka para hindi ka maaresto at magtatangka ka ring kitilin ang buhay ng nag-aaresto sa’yo. In other words, walang pagbabago. Ano bang ginawa niya from the very start?
Q: Sir, sino po at saka paano iyong pagkaka-inform kay VP Leni ng termination? At saka would you know how she reacted on it, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Ewan ko, wala—basta kausap ko si Presidente kanina, iyon ang sinabi niya.
Q: So you wouldn’t know, sir, kung how it was relayed to VP? Through letter or phone call or text message?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi. Basta sinabi ni President, ‘I’m firing her.’ Sabi ko, “When, Mr. President?” “Now!” Ibig sabihin kanina, iyon ang desisyon.
Q: What time, sir, iyong conversation ninyo, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Siguro—anong oras na ba ngayon? Must be … 9:38 ba? Today is 9:38?
Q: Philippine time, 9:38, sir. Korean time, 10:38.
SEC. PANELO: 10:38, Korean time siguro. Two hours ago, then that would be 8:38.
Q: Pero walang last straw kumbaga? Walang new development that entailed the President—
SEC. PANELO: Iyon na nga, iyong hinahamon nga siya ‘di ba. Precisely, hindi ba gumawa ako ng statement, sabi ko—
Q: Pero after that, wala—
SEC. PANELO: Hindi, iyon ang ano doon. Kasi alam mo matindi iyong sasabihin mo sa mukha mo na, “Kung ayaw mo sa akin eh di sabihin mo.” Alam mo, that’s very rude to say it… politely. It’s more than rude. You don’t say that. You’re supposed to be the executive, supposed to be the boss, chief executive eh tapos sasabihan mo siya ng ‘kung ayaw mo sa akin eh di sabihin mo.’ That’s very rude, that’s impolite.
Q: Nakakagulat lang na a day, hours lang yata sabi niya, he won’t fire and then nagpakita siya doon sa Davao and then biglang she was fired for reasons na wala namang bago. I mean, iyon lang—
SEC. PANELO: Iyon na iyon. At saka—alam mo kasi—tandaan ninyo si Presidente, bago makarating ang news sa kaniya, late na. Eh natutulog si Presidente nang gising tayo eh. So you cannot expect the President to read the news or the briefer bago siya matulog. Wala pa iyong news eh. Mababasa niya lang iyon after.
Q: So it could be a case of delayed reaction on the part of—
SEC. PANELO: Hindi delayed reaction kung hindi iyon ang—noong mabasa niya siguro, dahil pinapadalhan ko rin siya ng statement eh. Kasi tinanong ko siya kahapon, “Did you read my statement?” “Hindi pa.” Sabi ko mayroon akong statement doon in response to … mamaya mababasa ko iyon, briefer.
Q: So hindi lang, sir, dahil napikon na si Presidente?
SEC. PANELO: Ah hindi. Marami na siyang ano eh, marami na ngang missteps eh. Plus, pinagbibigyan niya na iyong mga ano sa kaniya, dare ni Pangilinan at saka ni Leni mismo, VP Leni.
Q: Hindi ba parang immature reaction—
SEC. PANELO: Ah hindi. Unang-una, very sensitive nga iyong posisyon niya eh. Sinabihan niya nga na gawin mo na lang iyong trabaho mo.
Q: Secretary, maglalabas pa ba ng official order ang Office of the President?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi na. Bakit maglalabas …when you fire somebody, you don’t need any executive order; you just fire. You’re the appointing power. Everyone is at the pleasure of the President … appointees.
Q: (UNCLEAR)
SEC. PANELO: Wala na. Hindi na kailangan.
Q: Parang doesn’t she deserve that parang at least—
SEC. PANELO: Does the President deserve the taunt and the dare of the appointee? Tell me.
Q: So she will just learn it from the reports?
SEC. PANELO: Siguro, ganun na nga ang mangyayari.
Q: Puwede pa bang i-apila iyan, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Kanino mag-aapila, sa inyo?
Q: Hindi, kay Presidente.
SEC. PANELO: Na kay VP Leni na, at saka I don’t think so. Alam mo, sabi nga ni … for once, I will agree with Ping Lacson when he said na untenable na iyong posisyon mo, mag-resign ka na lang. Mayroon pa ngang isang kolumnistang nagsabi, and I agree – hindi ko na lang sinabi sa statement ko iyan eh. Sabi niya, ‘Delicadeza requires you to tender your resignation because the appointing power has already expressed distrust. Ano pa bang gusto mo?’
Q: [OFF MIC]
SEC. PANELO: Kaya nga. Iyong statement ko nga inano ko na lang, hindi ba I didn’t even say na you’re rude. Hindi ba sinabi ko, it may be deemed to be rude. Very respectful nga iyong statement ko eh. If you are uncomfortable in your seat, then leave quietly. Ganoon talaga eh. Kung ayaw mo na, you feel na sa tingin mo ayaw sa’yo, eh bakit ka pa mananatili diyan.
Q: Sir, what does it say about the sincerity of the administration when you said that the administration wants VP Leni to succeed?
SEC. PANELO: Well, ang problema nga, how can she succeed if she doesn’t even help herself? She doesn’t even have a program of how to perform her job.
Q: The administration would have wanted her to succeed?
SEC. PANELO: Yes. We wanted nga eh… hindi ba isang buwan. Matagal na iyong isang buwan. Baka kung ibang presidente, baka in one week na wala kang ginagawa, you’re fired.
Q: Can you help us understand kasi hindi ninyo po nabasa—
SEC. PANELO: Iyong alin?
Q: Hindi po nabasa iyong mga recommendation letter ni Vice President so parang how could you have arrived at that decision?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi nga eh, unang-una, iyong nirirekumenda niya, kung mayroon man, came after nagsalita na si Presidente na hindi niya nagugustuhan iyong mga kilos ni Bise Presidente.
Q: But no benefit of the doubt—
SEC. PANELO: Ano bang benefit of the doubt, nakikita mo na nga iyong ginagawa, harap-harapang ginagawa sa harap mo eh. Palagi siyang nasa camera at marami siyang sinasabi, may mga criticism siya. Sige nga, put yourself in the shoes of the appointing power, tingnan ko nga kung ano ang magiging reaksiyon ninyo.
Q: Kasi ang dating parang strike one iyong nangyari. Eh di sana noong sinabi niya na ayaw niya iyong ginagawa niya, she could have changed, parang ganoon, ‘di ba? Kasi sandali pa lang naman—
SEC. PANELO: Oo nga pero ano ang naging reaksiyon niya doon, di sinabi niya na I will not fire you? Anong reaksiyon niya? ‘Fire me. If you don’t want me, fire me.’ In effect, iyon ang sinasabi niya eh, ‘Kung ayaw mo sa akin, sabihin mo, madali akong kausap.’ You don’t say to your boss or to the President of the Philippines. Parang may utang na loob pa ang Presidente, binigyan ka na nga ng pagkakataon to … hindi ba sabi ko pa nga, “a ladder to the presidency if you succeed there.” But she blew it. I’m sorry. I really want her to succeed.
SEC. PANELO: If you noticed, I’ve been defending her since day one of her appointment. Maraming nagki-criticize nga ba’t ko ipinagtatanggol. Eh, kasi gusto ni Presidente mag-succeed nga.
Q: May replacement ba sir si… May replacement po ba si VP?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi ko alam… Ito lang; hindi ko na alam ‘yun.
Q: Sir, hingi lang ako ng reaction. Since PRRD here in South Korea po kasi dalawang magkasunod na araw iyong trip – mayroong isang electronic waste and then the… parang toxic wastes na galing sa South Korea na napunta sa Pilipinas and then they were turned away by PCG and police/security forces, sir. Any reaction on the matter considering na the President is meeting up with President Moon?
SEC. PANELO: We have to validate that, nabasa ko lang ‘yan sa news report. Kailangan mayroong validation.
Q: Sir, hindi ba siya detrimental maybe to the—
SEC. PANELO: No, but you have to validate. Anything… report of that importance kailangang ma-validate. I was with Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, ibig sabihin wala pa siyang alam tungkol doon; otherwise sinabi na niya sa akin.
Q: Pero sir, statement sa… may mga press releases o reports na inilabas ang PCG at saka Customs, I believe—
SEC. PANELO: Kahit pa. That should be validated by the proper agency.
Q: Sir, soundbite lang doon sa SEA Games.
SEC. PANELO: SEA Games, yes!
Q: Ang daming, sir, reklamo from different—
SEC. PANELO: Eh ‘di ba sinabi ko na kanina ‘yan? Uulitin ko na naman?
Q: For TV lang, sir. Kasi parang lumalabas national embarrassment eh. Ang daming nagpo-post kasi on social media.
SEC. PANELO: As I’ve said: the organizers have apologized, have committed themselves to do better next time or for subsequent athletes who are coming and the Office of the President is giving no excuses and as host country, we are apologizing for the inconvenience suffered by the athletes. But as we said, these kind of incidents, given the number of countries participating and the athletes coming here could not be avoided. There will be delays in the transport, in the checking-in, there will be some miscommunications. Those are never intentional but was is appealing to me or to us is that there has been no single incident report of their safety being in danger or their health being under—
Q: At risk… at risk.
SEC. PANELO: Under at risk, yes. So, ano lang, ‘yung delay lang. At saka I noticed also in the photos that I saw, naka-higa at naka-upo naman sila, parang nagre-rest lang naman sila. Eh, natapos naman—
Q: Sir, exhaust na—
SEC. PANELO: Siyempre—
Q: Napagod naman na sila.
SEC. PANELO: Oo, pero hindi naman sa labas na ano… mayroon pa ring roof and comfortable seats, air-conditioned…
Q: Sir, would the government—on the organizers who caused—
SEC. PANELO: Eh, siguro… hindi… Nagpaliwanag na si—may statement ang organizers ‘di ba? Did you read the statement?
Q: Yes.
SEC. PANELO: Mayroon siyang statement eh, okay na ‘yun. Palagay ko hindi na nila—gagawan na nila ng paraan. Like for instance, me. Kung ako ‘yun, in the position of those organizers, like hindi maka-check-in sa hotel eh ‘di ichineck-in ko sa ibang hotel muna. Madali lang naman gawan ng paraan ‘yun eh. Bakit ka pa mag-aantay ng alas-dos eh kung dumating nang alas-dose eh ‘di hinanap ko muna. Naghanap muna ako ng hotel na puwede, doon muna kayo. Ganun naman ‘yun eh, creativity lang ‘yun.
Q: So, you—
SEC. PANELO: Doon sila siguro nagkulang pero baka nataranta lang.
Q: Do you think in behalf of our government, kailangan ba nating mag-issue ng apology?
SEC. PANELO: Nag-apologize na nga ang gobyerno—
Q: Sa mga Presidente ng mga bansang nakaranas ng ganun ‘yung mga atleta?
SEC. PANELO: Siguro naman nakarating na sa kanila ‘yung apology natin.
Q: You will not make it formal with the—
SEC. PANELO: We would like—as I said earlier, we would like to apologize, the Office of the President to all those who suffered some inconvenience by reason of delays in the transport as well as staying in the hotels. It is not intentional. We commit to do better next time. We’re not offering any excuse.
Q: No heads will roll, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Wala naman siguro. ‘Yun naman hindi naman ganun ka-grabe ‘yun eh. It would be different kung nagkaroon ng risk sa buhay nila o kaya sa kanilang kalusugan. Pero ‘yung a few hours delay in checking-in or transporting, it happens to every passengers nowadays all over the world.
Q: Sir, may report from organizers these are isolated case—
SEC. PANELO: Hindi naman. Tatlo lang naman ang involved na ano—tatlong involved. Cambodia, ano pa ‘yung dalawa? Basta—Myanmar…
Q: Timor Leste.
SEC. PANELO: Tatlo pa lang naman.
Q: Pero Secretary, can we give an assurance na no such incident will happen again.
SEC. PANELO: Palagay ko naman—I think the organizer have learned their lessons. And I’m giving them tips na nga eh. ‘Pag nangyaring may delay, kadali niyan. Diyos ko naman! Eh, ‘di ipasok mo sa ibang hotel muna. Transport? O eh ‘di kailangan mayroon kang back-up diyan na mga sasakyan kung hindi dumating—Ganun lang ‘yan eh! Creativity lang tawag diyan.
Q: Sir, what about ‘yung mga unfinished parts… kasi we’ve seen some pictures and images na ang daming unfinished na mga—
SEC. PANELO: Siguro hindi maaapektuhan ‘yan otherwise hindi itutuloy ‘yan. Ang ibig kong sabihin, kung may unfinished na portion na hindi naman gagamitin sa isang sports game, so hindi maaapektuhan ‘yung entire game.
Q: Malamang, sir, ililipat na sa ibang venue ‘yung ibang games kasi hindi pa tapos—
SEC. PANELO: Okay lang ‘yun. ‘Yun na nga ang sinasabi kong creativity: If you cannot hold it another place then look for another venue; and Henry has been swaging his arms to stop this presscon.
Q: Sir, ganito na lang. Ano naman ‘yung ini-ex—Ano magiging expectation n’yo with regards to the handling or organizing noong SEA Games—
SEC. PANELO: I’m sure they will do better in the next succeeding arrival of the other countries’ delegates and athletes.
Q: Smooth—
SEC. PANELO: Dapat kasi kumbaga, you will learn from your mistakes.
Q: Sir, if not?
SEC. PANELO: If not? Siguro kailangang ano… accountable sila doon pero I don’t think so.
Q: Okay na?
SEC. PANELO: Thank you very much, MPC.
###
SOURCE: PCOO-NIB (News and Information Bureau)
