Q: Good morning, sir.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Good morning po, oo.

Q: Sir, ang una po naming tanong: reaksyon sa naging pahayag po ni Vice President Leni Robredo hinggil po doon sa pagkakaaresto kay Senator Leila de Lima. Ayon po kay Vice President Robredo, ito daw po ay political harassment.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ay ano naman po, siguro dapat linawin natin ano na unang-una, meron naman talagang probable cause ‘yung [coughs] even ‘yung pagkakaaresto ano, based on probable cause. ‘Yung ano, linawin po natin na ‘yung kanya pong kaso ay kriminal. Hindi po ito pulitikal na bagay.

So dapat po siguro maging ano rin, objective rin ‘yung pagtingin nung mga tao na katulad ni VP Leni na may basehan po itong mga galaw na ‘to. Hindi naman po basta-basta na ganun. Siguro po[unclear] siya sa mga bagay na familiar siya pero ‘yung kaso po nung, ‘yung itong mga 

pamaraan po ni President Duterte is based on ano, based on facts and based on ano po, ‘yung mga… sa batas. ‘Yun po.

Q: Sir kasi —

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA:  Yes ma’am?

Q: — ‘yung mga sinasabi ngayon ni De Lima, parang ‘yun naman ang ginawa niya noon po kay GMA. At least nung kay De Li— itong kay De Lima po, ilang buwan na — bago ipina—  okay weeks ‘no? Ifinile (file) ng DOJ. Tapos, pero siya, during her time, si GMA finile-an (file) ng kaso then after 2, or 3, 4 hours ay nagdesisyon na ‘yung judge.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Hello? Yes?

Q: Yes po. Oo —

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ma’am, there’s something wrong with the —

Q: Sir, oo. Meron din kasing mga supporters kasi si De Lima na sinasabing she was unfairly treated po ng government.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ano po siguro, ano, syempre it’s a matter of — siguro masama rin ang loob nila patungkol diya pero po as you can very well see, the way it’s all played out, is everything was played also in the open in media, wala naman pong naitago and you know, for all intents and purposes, everything was objective. And there was… everything was done objectively and with fair play.

Q: Okay. Sir, we have questions from Leila of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Yes, ma’am.

Q: ‘Yung Palace comment daw on De Lima’s statement saying that she won’t be silenced and she and her allies are saying she’s only being persecuted because she dared to speak out against the President. Is Malacañang out to suppress dissent?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ma’am, again let me say ‘no. ‘Yung mga, ‘yung pinagbasehan po ng ano, the, her claims with DOJ that DOJ [unclear] is not based on her political statement at all. You know, I think they misunderstand the fact that she is being accused of a certain crimes and I think they should very well just say it’s up to those things ‘no. I think they should… well I think people are just listening to an echo chamber where they’re listening to themselves ‘no. No. I think they should face the fact and realize that Ms. De Lima is being brought to court for criminal reasons and not for political reasons.

Q: So ano sir, assurance that Malacañang is not out to suppress dissent po?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Of course not. Everything has been allowed. You know, ‘yung mga katulad nung… everybody is allowed. ‘Yung diba ‘yung protest against the Marcos burial, ‘yung mga protesta ng kaliwa, they are all allowed. But they do not go beyond the [tawag nito], ‘yung they do not break the peace and order, stuff like that, they do not interfere with traffic, stuff like that. Pero they had been allowed.

These things of dissent are not being silenced. Ano po ito eh, parang… I think they… what’s happening is they confused some circumstances in the past with circumstances in the present.

In fact, if the President did not allow for dissent… I mean look at this Cabinet — it’s from left to right, from top to bottom. Wala po… A dissent is allowed in a democratic situation and that’s what we have. I think Ms. De Lima simply assumes that hers is a political process. It is not. Hers is based on a criminal situation, clear and simple.

Q: Another question po from Leila. Is there reason for other critics of the President to be afraid that they would be next after De Lima?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: I just answered that. They can very well open their mouth and speak. Ang mahalaga lang is they do not break law, ‘yun lang po. Opo.

Q: Sir, hingian din po namin kayo ng reaksyon doon sa pahayag pa rin ni Vice President Robredo na kailangan daw ay ang focus ng Pangulong Duterte ay ‘yung kahirapan dahil daw po inequate niya po, ‘war on drugs is war on poor.’ ‘Yun po ang pahayag ni VP Robredo.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: I think Ms. Robredo was part of the Cabinet from Day 1, almost from Day 1. Pero ma’am, nakita naman niya, unless she was not listening. You know, the topics had to deal with the 10-point agenda… ‘Yun nga ang ano eh, ‘yung, the 10-point agenda.

In fact, ano po, you know, what has happened so far: free irrigation to farmers; ‘yung certificate of land ownership, ‘yung CLOA to 111 Hacienda Luisita farmers; ‘yung free medicines to indigent patients, ‘yung relocation tsaka ‘yung relocation ng mga ‘Yolanda’-affected families na naresettle as of January 23.

Ang dami nang nagawa kaya lang hindi ‘no… natatabunan because of the tendency of some people and media to you know, hindi naman, not ano, I’m just saying that certain aspects of media tend to listen to an echo chamber where they see themselves talking about these things. No. Napakarami po ng mga nangyayari na nai-ignore and so, I think it would help the Vice President if she really look and listen at the right places. Hindi naman tago ‘yung mga bagay na ‘yan.

‘Yung mga trabaho nila Judy Taguiwalo, ‘yung trabaho ng DOH, trabaho ng DAR, ‘yung Agrarian Reform; ‘yung trabaho ng ano, ng Agriculture, and Irrigation.

Ang dami pong nagagawa, ang daming nangyayari. In fact, even some of the Senators had said, had commented na parang tatlong taon na tayo rito sa dami ng nangyayari, sa dami ng nagagawa.

No, I think ano, I think it’s just a question of opening our eyes and listening and looking at things and listening to things that truly matter, that are beyond our own political interests. Thank you.

Q: Sir, meron pong tanong si kapatid Bombo Reymund Tinaza. Ang tanong po niya, ano pong reaksyon ninyo sa patuloy na pagbabanta ni Senator Sonny Trillanes laban kay Pangulong Duterte kung saan sinasabinito na mahuhubaran daw po ang tunay na Duterte sa Lascañas probe diyan sa Senado?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Alam po ninyo, these are all rehashed things ‘no. Nadaanan na po natin ‘yan and let me just repeat, si Lascañas has discredited himself. You know, he has perjured himself. So I don’t know, you know, what he… what Mr. Trillanes is referring to pero well,  it seems that he’s just, he’s being vocal for the sake of being vocal.

Q: Opo. Sir sa —

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Hello?

Q: Sir, sa iba pa pong topic. Dito po sa inilabas na SWS Survey. Tumaas po ‘yung jobless rate, nasa 22.3 percent in 2016 at ito po ay mas mataas kumpara nung nakaraang taon. At karamihan po sa walang trabaho ay mga adult Filipinos. Ano po kaya ang pwedeng maging tulong ng ating gobyerno doon sa ating mga walang trabahong mga kababayan?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ma’am siguro linawin muna natin ano. ‘Yung ano, kung titingnan po natin ang adult joblessness, ang highest increase po nanggaling sa mga taong voluntarily leaving their jobs, ‘yun po ang tumaas ng 4.2.

Pero ‘yung mga nawalan ng trabaho dahilan sa economic situation, rose only by 1.3. Ibig sabihin, ‘yung nag-resign mas marami kesa ‘yung nawalan talaga. So ang, pero kung titingnan po din natin ‘yung no, ‘yung net optimism po on job availability na sinukat nung December 2016 ay tumaas po ng husto, the highest-recorded +37 nga eh. Ito po ‘yung pinaka mataas na recorded optimism since nung 1998 nung nagsimula po ang ano, ang SWS na mag-conduct ng surveys patungkol sa joblessness, adult joblessness.

Pero ang ano po, ang promeso po ng ano, ng gobyerno is to create 1.2 million jobs annually tsaka… and it will be done, it will be addressed by attracting more foreign investments, increasing ano po, ‘yung infrastructure spending, tsaka ‘yung ano pag, the ease of doing business, improving the ease of doing business in the Philippines tsaka ‘yung pagdedevelop po ng ating human resources.

‘Yung jobs would include construction, information and technology tsaka business process management, tourism, manufacturing, transport, logistics, agri-processing, and a lot po also in services eh dun naman tayo, isa sa ating mga galing ‘yan.

So meron po, we… in a sense, ang nangyayari, meron pong ano, meron pong mga sagot. Of course things are not perfect, and that is why we would wish that people were cooperative instead of focusing on you know, being adversarial. Well, criticism is always ano, is welcome. Iba rin po ‘yung being adversarial.

Q: Okay. Sir, today ginugunita po yung 31st anniversary ng People Power Revolution. And tulad ng inaasahan natin po ‘yung mga kritiko ng pamahalaan ay may mga pahayag ‘no like, pwede lang po sagutin na lang natin yung sinasabi ni Congressman Lagman na ‘yung scaled down although nasagot na ng Malacañang iyan eh, lahat ng mga issue. Pero si Lagman inulit niya na ‘yung scaled down celebration reflects President Duterte’s fascination with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Iyan po ang kanyang alegasyon. Ano po ang masasasagot po natin sa kanya?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA:  Well I think ang masasabi ko lang po ay I think Mr. Lagman says too much of those things. You know, what you focus on enlarges so ‘yun po ang perception niya. But I would say that si ano si President Marcos was somebody who loomed large in the Philippine landscape but he is not [ano tawag nito?] he is not that iconic in the mind of the President.

You know, the President is his own person. President Duterte is his own person. He draws insights and understanding from various leaders. I think it is too much to say that he is the new Macoy ‘no. Ano po siguro. Of course, it is very pejorative but that is to be expected from somebody like Mr. Lagman.

Pero on the whole, I would say that mister… President Duterte is his own person.

Q: Sir De Lima also issued a statement today calling on Filipinos na keep the spirit of People Power Revolution alive at sinasabi niya na dapat daw ay huwag manahimik at may looming dictatorship po.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ma’am, I would say that her call to keep the Spirit of EDSA, of nation building and freedom alive is very worthwhile. However, I doubt if she is the kind of, if hers is the kind of voice that the people need at this stage. 

We need people who are truly and sincerely nation patriot, nation builder and not implies na somebody who takes advantage of political position for their own advancement.

Q: And sir, baka po nakalimutan lang ng mga tao na also si Presidente po ‘yung mommy niya noon was part of the, ‘yung mga ano, sa yellow, nagsupport sa People Power —

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Totoo po ‘yan.

Q: Maganda rin po ‘yung kwento ni Mayor Sara Duterte on that night ng, in that People Power Revolution.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA:  In fact all of us were there. We were on the streets in Davao. Kami naman nasa Davao kami during that particular time ano. 

Ano po, talagang ano eh tawag niyan, si President Duterte had imbibed the spirit of, you know, the intent of EDSA but not the politics so you know, which it has become now, you know.

But even the mother si Nanay Soling was really ano. She was one of those who, ano nga siya modelo nga siya ni Luz Ilagan. Si Luz Ilagan na ano one of the leaders of the women’s movement in the Philippines has considered Nanay Soling one of her inspirations ‘no ,one of her inspirations regarding… basahin ko ha.

“Luz Ilagan remembered how Nanay Soling stood up to confront then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile in a public forum during martial law.”

Si Nanay Soling is the original, tawag nila “Darna,” transforming herself into a persona that dealt with different women of varying backgrounds, beliefs, and social status. Ano po siya, ‘yung kung ano siya yung din ang nailipat sa kanyang anak. ‘Yung pagka noted visionary, civic leader. 

At she was also by the way, one of the pillars of Davao’s Yellow Friday Movement at the height when the people movement was pure in the sense of being non-political but spoke of any intent, you know, serious national intent and not as a political color.

Q: Sir, we have a last question. This is from Aileen Taliping of DWIZ. Ano na lang po, ang sabi daw ni Senadora Rissa Hontiveros namatay na ang demokrasya dahil sa ginawang paga-aresto kay Senadora de Lima. Do you agree sa pananaw ng Senadora? 

Meron ding pong mga nagkokomentaryo na parang kino-compare nila kay Senator Ninoy. Is this fair po?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: [laughs]. I think, you know, I think she is trying to create political drama where none exists ‘no. Ano po siguro I think Ms. Rissa should spend her social capital on better things, okay. Eh maganda pa naman sana ‘yung ano niya, ‘yung kanyang pagka-sober but her political understanding seems to be too colored.

Q: Okay sir, maraming salamat. Thank you for your time, sir. Mabuhay ka po.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Thank you, kayo rin po.

Q: Happy weekend, sir.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Hopefully, yes, thank you.