MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Sir, this afternoon na po iyong flight ni Presidente going to Japan, may we know the activities of the President there.
SEC. PANELO: Ang alam ko a-attend siya ng enthronement proper and then we have the Emperor’s banquet and the Prime Minister’s banquet; iyon, yung tatlong iyon.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: So, bale, sir ilang araw iyong stay ni Presidente sa Japan?
SEC. PANELO: Ang alam ko 22 iyong rites and then Emperor’s banquet din the same 22; 23 yata iyong Prime Minister’s banquet.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: So, two days, sir.
SEC. PANELO: Kasi 24 pa ang balik eh.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: 24 po, that will be on Thursday, tama ba? So ano ito, sir, working visit?
SEC. PANELO: I think so, yes. I’m not sure about that, kailangan si Robert Borje ang sumagot niyan.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: May we know, sir, kung sinu-sino po iyong kasama ni Presidente sa Japan?
SEC. PANELO: Actually, hindi ko alam. Ako nalaman ko lang the other day.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: But a small delegation—
SEC. PANELO: Definitely, it’s a lean delegation.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: How lean, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Leaner than we thought.
PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Sir, sabi n’yo hindi n’yo pa po napapanuod, pero over the weekend nag-viral po iyong cheering ng UP Visayas and they were able to tackle different various social issues; pero kasama po doon iyong nabanggit nila na basically tuta daw po ng China si President Duterte—
SEC. PANELO: But as you said obviously they were joking. It’s a free country; they can dish out jokes, criticisms—
PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Iyong part na iyon, sir, hindi joke, it’s a criticism, pero may nabanggit po sila na let’s kill this President, though it was very clear naman na they were joking, kasi sabi nila charot.
SEC. PANELO: Eh joke naman pala, eh si Presidente rin di ba nagsabi siya na nag-kill. Baka ginagaya lang nila si Presidente.
PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Sir, what can you say to Duterte supporters who were apparently harassing the students?
SEC. PANELO: Siyempre natural lang iyon na mag-react siyempre; kasi siyempre ang dating sa kanila baka hindi sila nagbibiro, baka kunwari nagbibiro pero talagang binabanatan nila si Presidente. That’s very natural reaction for supporters of the President.
PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: But will you be telling them to lay-off the students—
SEC. PANELO: It’s a free country; as I said, they can react too.
PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Okay, sige. Thank you.
MJ: Hi Sec, reaction po. The National Unions of People’s Lawyers agreed to file a series of cases against the President when he steps down in 2022 po. Ano pong Palace reaction po?
SEC. PANELO: It’s a free country; everyone is entitled to file any case against whom so they think that has violated the law and let the courts decide the validity of such complaints.
MJ: Is this a cause of worry po to the President; kasi ‘di ba mawawalan po siya ng immunity in 2022?
SEC. PANELO: The only worry that the President has is the sufferings of the people that’s why he does a lot of things to make lives comfortable for them.
MJ: Thank you, Sec.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Sir, nakuwento ba sa’yo ng Pangulo ‘yung nasaksihan niyang away ng mga Barretto sa isang lamay?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi namin napag-uusapan. Sabi nga—mayroon nga nag-text sa akin eh…siguro puwede kong banggitin, kaibigan ko naman.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Tayo-tayo lang naman, sir eh!
SEC. PANELO: Sabi sa akin, ‘what’s the altercation, what happened?’ Galing ‘yun kay ano… kaibigan ko Karmina Constantino. Ang sagot sa kaniya ganito, ‘If you are in their place, would you want to a very private matter publicized?’ And she replied. She said, ‘that’s why you are a friend and I apologize for even asking.’ And I replied, ‘It’s alright, your job led you into asking.’ That’s my response to you, the same.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: But were you or are you also amused of what’s going on about—
SEC. PANELO: As I said, it’s a very private matter. We’ll leave it to the families.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Thank you.
CEDRIC CASTILLO/GMA7: Good morning, sir! Reaction lang please ng Palasyo, sir. Amended na po ‘yung complaint ng CIDG, it now includes General Albayalde as respondent po. Any reaction on it, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Well, from the very start we said, if they feel that they have a case against anyone then they can file it and let law takes its course.
CEDRIC CASTILLO/GMA7: Sir, may update na po sa next Chief PNP po?
SEC. PANELO: Wala pa.
CEDRIC CASTILLO/GMA7: How about Chief Justice po?
SEC. PANELO: Wala rin. Wala pa rin akong… wala pa akong nari-receive.
CHONA YU/RADYO INQUIRER: Sir, Speaker Cayetano said na parang iri-review ng House iyong K to 12 program. What’s the Palace’s reaction to this?
SEC. PANELO: We will leave it to the wisdom of Congress.
CHONA YU/RADYO INQUIRER: Pero, sir, the Presidential Daughter, si Kitty, has openly said na gusto niyang ipatanggal na iyon kay Presidente, iyong K to 12. Laging sinasabi iyon ni Presidente.
SEC. PANELO: Iyon ang sabi ng bata; but siyempre, it’s Congress that will decide.
INA ANDOLONG/CNN PHILS: Sir, just a follow up doon kay Cedric. There’s been a revamp, a major revamp in the PNP, and PNP officials are saying the President was informed about this basically in the last command conference and that he also recommended that a major revamp be done. What was the President’s… bakit niya ginusto pong magkaroon gn revamp?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi niya ginusto kung hindi he agreed with the revamp. That’s good for the PNP. Any revamp will always be good for an organization after a while because mahirap iyong magkakaroon ka na ng ugat doon sa mga posisyon ninyo. Tama lang iyon.
INA ANDOLONG/CNN PHILS: But again, when the revamp was recommended and he agreed, did he have any specific reasons why he thought it was needed at this time?
SEC. PANELO: He didn’t mention anything; he just agreed to it.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Sir, pinapalutang ng ilang miyembro ng National Unity Party, particularly iyong kaniyang presidente na si Representative Barzaga na possible daw na baka hindi na matuloy iyong term sharing between Speaker Cayetano and Congressman Velasco dahil sa unprecedented trust and approval rating ni Speaker Cayetano.
SEC. PANELO: Again that is between the members of Congress; we will not interfere.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Sir, but Congressman Barzaga is saying that whatever the wants of the congressmen, it’s up to the Presidente because he is the one who brokered the term sharing.
SEC. PANELO: They’re entitled to their perception – it may be true, it may not be true. But as far as the President is concerned, he does not want to interfere in any act or measure or activity in a co-equal branch. The only reason why he made a proposal is because his suggestion was sought by those contending persons for the Speakership.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: So parang binabalik ninyo sa kanila na bahala na kayo diyan?
SEC. PANELO: Because natapos na iyong papel ni Presidente doon eh.
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Source: PCOO-NIB (News and Information Bureau-Data Processing Center)
