MELANIE BALDOZ: Sir, umpisahan po natin ang tanong. Una pong ulat na bumungad sa atin ay patay na po si Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. Ano po ang reaksyon ng Palasyo dito, sir?

USEC. ABELLA: Opo. Ako’y nilinaw ko po iyan but right now really it’s under investigation. So wala po tayong aksiyon o komentaryo patungkol diyan. Wala po tayong maaano, pero ang ano po masasabi natin is right now it’s under investigation po.

MELANIE: Opo. At susunod po naming tanong sir, iyong kay Nur Misuari ng ating…iyong MNLF. Mayroon pong sinabi ang mga taga-Zamboanga na kailangang panagutan daw po ni Chairman Nur ang nangyaring krimen diyan sa Zamboanga noong Zamboanga siege.

USEC. ABELLA: At right time po eh masasagot at—all of those issues will be addressed. Pero right now po ay mahalaga is we have… andon na nag-uusap sila, nag-usap sila ng Presidente and the President is addressing iyong mga historical issues at maganda naman po, and I’m sure napanuod po ninyo iyong press briefing sa Malacañan. Ang mahalaga po ay naguusap ngayon and the President is promise na uusad iyong structures for that will lay the ground for Bangsamoro territory and doon po… it may be connected to the whole concept of federalism. So, iyon po ang mahalaga na ma-address din po iyong mga historical issues, historical… mga matters na alam po naman natin sa history po ng mga Moro brothers natin ay buhay pa rin iyong mga certain issues kaya iyong po—and we also know that the President is still very, very interested in making sure na magkaroon po tayo ng peace within our borders. Iyon po.

MARIE PEÑA RUIZ: Sir, when is the President expected to sign the Executive Order reconstituting the Bangsamoro Transition Committee?

USEC. ABELLA: Wala po tayong timeline for these days. Pero I’m sure it’s on the pipeline. Hello?

MARIE: Mayroon lang pong itatanong si Leila Saavedra kung ano daw po ang mga naging commitment o pangako ng ating Pangulo kay Misuari, kung mayroon man po?

USEC. ABELLA: Ah, wala pa po tayong ano… ang mahalaga lang po nag-usap. So, wala po tayong specific at this stage ‘no. So iyon po, ang mahalaga ay nagka-face to face sila, nagkita sila and then saka pa lang magsisimula po talaga ang actual conversation.

MELANIE: Ah, sir, mayroon pong patanong din si kasamang Reymund Tinaza ng Bombo Reymund—Bombo Radyo, sabi po niya patanong: pinabulaanan daw po ng Philippine National Police ang pahayag ni Pangulong Duterte kagabi na 6 kidnapping cases sa Binondo in three weeks. NCRPO daw po noong available report of kidnapping in Binondo or NCR.

USEC. ABELLA: Ang alam ko po is may mga comment po si President but we don’t know kung—but he has his own sources. Kung sinasabi pong wala, I’m sure the President has his own form of information. Iyong lang po masasabi ko.

MARIE: Sir, may isa pang tanong po from Leila ng Inquirer: Does the Palace consider its suspicious that the government officials and personalities that the President has linked to the drug trade are being gunned down before they can be tried in court. What do you think this indicates daw po? Thank you.

USEC. ABELLA: Wala po tayong comment regarding that whether it’s suspicious or not. All we know is that all of these matters are under investigation right now.

MELANIE: Sir, last question po namin. Your news po on the appointment of the US Ambassador the Philippines Sung Kim?

USEC. ABELLA: Ah, very significant po na ano sila, that they chose an Asian and I’m sure they want to—I’m sure it’s some form of a signal na gusto nilang—they want to be on a better cultural footing ang pagkakaintindi na ang between Asian. That seems to be right now the most obvious… one of the major significant reasons why they chose Korean also. So, gusto po siguro nilang mas maintindihan tayo, that they were be able to relate on better cultural terms. Iyon po.

MARIE: And even the Ambassador was quoted of saying na, he’s excited and happy to be assigned in the Philippines.

USEC. ABELLA: I’m sure he really is. (laughs). The Philippines being one of the most exciting places right now.

MARIE: And si State Secretary John Kerry din nagsabi siya na siya confident na maganda pa rin iyong ating relasyon and we hope he visit again dahil nakausap na nga daw niya si Pangulong Duterte before and he hope to visit again before he steps down.  

USEC. ABELLA: Opo. Maganda naman din po kasi iyong huling usapan nila. We were observers to that. And maganda nga naman talaga iyong pag-uusap nila. Ang mahalaga lang po is that, iyong mga terms of engagements with one another, iyong mas maging culturally sensitive. Iyong po, that what I can say.

MARIE: And the President, sir, malamang ito. The President is unscathed, hindi siya natitinag doon sa mga sinasabing coup attempt at saka iyong plano daw na mass demonstrations against him.

USEC. ABELLA: Wala, ano man at ano man siguro. I think the President has a very firm grasp of… iyong ano, what is being able to separate the chaff from the grain, kung ano iyong talagang may laman, ano iyong tunay at saka iyong pong ingay lang. So, wala po tayong minamaliit na mga bali-balita, pero ang ano po, is the President truly confident in his role as President. Tsaka iyong trust na ibinibigay sa kanya ng mga tao at saka iyong—the Executive work is doing, iyong kanya pong purpose. Iyong kanyang direskyon bilang Presidente po.

MARIE: Sir, can you take another test question? This is from Leo Palo po. Kailan daw po aayusin ng Malacañang iyong gusot po SBMA?

USEC. ABELLA: I think it’s being addressed at hindi naman po ano. But the right party, and the right offices, and the right department are addressing those matters. Iyon lang po.

MARIE: Okay.

USEC. ABELLA: Thank you very much.

MARIE: Thank you very much, sir.

MELANIE: Maraming salamat sir.

MARIE: Happy weekend po.