PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ERNESTO ABELLA: Magandang umaga rin po sa inyo. Good morning po.

Ms. Ruiz: Kamusta na po kayo? You’re in Davao I believe po.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo. Sinabayan po natin si ano — We accompanied the President ‘nong dumalo po siya ng Eid’l Fit’r. Maganda naman po, maganda naman po ‘yung ano, mga pangyayari.

Ms. Ruiz: Oo at tsaka maganda nga kasi talagang inassure niya sa ating mga kababayan na… mga kapatid nating mga Muslims na he will really work for peace at tsaka talagang tututukan na ‘yung Mindanao dahil nga ‘di ba it’s years of neglect. Land of promise pa naman ‘yan.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo, opo. Now it will become a land of fulfillment.

Ms. Ruiz: At tsaka ano, parang it is also a — ‘Yung ang tinitiyak ng ating Presidente po ‘yung inclusive peace. Kasi ‘yun ang naging problema ng nakaraan.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Alin po?

Ms. Ruiz: ‘Yung parang may mga nagsasabing grupo that they’re being left out. At ang pina-promise po ng ating Presidente ay inclusive peace kasi ‘yan ang naging problema po ‘nong nakaraan na parang mga some groups are being felt left out po.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo, that’s exactly true. That is right. Yes.

Ms. Ruiz: Ngayon po, meron po tayong tanong coming from Leila Saavedra kaugnay po niyang pinaguusapan natin na kapayapaan at tsaka ‘yung naging mga pahayag kahapon… kagabi po ni Pangulong Duterte. Ang tanong po ni Leila: “President Duterte said in Davao that he doesn’t consider the Abu Sayyaf criminals. How will this affect the pursuit of justice for those kidnapped and beheaded by ASG?”

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ganito po ‘yun. ‘Nong ine-explain po niya ‘yan. Kung baga, sinasabi niya — He was just trying to explain the context kung ano ‘yung ginawa ‘nong ASG. Basically, sinasabi niya, these are people who already have become desperate.

Hindi po niya pinapalampas ‘yung mga ginawa nila, pero nilalagay lang po niya in context ‘yung mga, ‘yung kanilang pinaggagawa, that they were forced to desperation.

So ‘yun po ‘yun. In other words, naiintindihan niya ‘yung ginagawa nila but ang ano po, ‘yung kanila pong mga action ay still have to be answered for.

Ms. Ruiz: Sir, ang follow up question po ni Leila: “Will the government still go after the group members and hold them accountable for these actions?”

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA I believe so. ‘Yun po — they are still accountable for what they have done kasi may nagawa naman talaga ‘no. Linalagay lang po niya ‘yung context na hindi lang — ‘yung kanilang pinaggagawa ay may pinanggagalingan, may pinanggagalingan po.

‘Yun po ang ano niya… I believe that was the context of the statement. ‘Yun po. May pinanggagalingan sila, hindi lang sila basta crime, in the sense of just ordinary bandits pero meron silang pinanggagalingan, meron silang motive, kaya lang po they still have to be answerable for the actions.

Ms. Ruiz: Sir, meron naman tayong question from John Paolo Bencito of Manila Standard: Ano daw po ang legislative agenda ni President Duterte? And ang follow up po niya: When will the President convene the LEDAC?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Antayin lang po natin, after the State of the Nation Address. Antayin lang po natin ‘yung ano… ‘yung mga development after that.

Ms. Ruiz: Tama. Doon babanggitin na ng ating Pangulo ‘yung kanyang mga priority bills po.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo.

Ms. Ruiz: Sir, pinapatanong naman po ni Bombo Reymund Tinaza, taga-Bombo Radyo po, kung ‘yung sa tungkol po sa national feeding program ni Pangulong Duterte. Pwede daw po bang mag-expand?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: At this stage, wala po sa’kin ang detalye regarding that. But, definitely, ano po, part of this entire program is that walang matutulog na gutom. You know that’s part of — Pero ‘yun pong mga detalye, I don’t have the — I’m not in possession of the details po.

Ms. Ruiz: Okay, sir. Merong mga tungkol naman doon sa anti-drug campaign? Meron pong mga panawagan na isailalim din sa mandatory drug test lahat ng empleyado ng pamahalaan. Sang-ayon po ba kayo dito na dapat nang ipatupad na agad?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Actually po, wala akong — personally, siyempre I do not give my own personal opinion but that is a welcome development. Hindi po ba?

Just to prove to the people na lahat ng mga tao natin ay maayos naman. So that ano — that should not be a deterrent, but also more than that, it’s not a question of exposing but it’s a question of expressing, it’s a symbolic act ‘no. It’s a very powerful symbolic act, na pinapakita natin na tayong mga nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ay maayos na mga tao ‘yan at they are people worthy of our trust. Kasi ‘yun naman talaga ang priority ng Presidente na maisoli ‘yung trust and faith in the government.

Ms. Ruiz: Sir does the President have any information na drug money was used during the campaign, doon sa recent elections po?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: I think that’s part of the implication po ng message ng President that we — ‘Yun nga ina-avoid niya na that the Philippines falls into narcopolitics. Because apparently, may mga mayors who have already acted independently of their parties na hindi na sila humihingi roon because apparently meron silang sariling sources of funds and most probably, it would be coming from that.

Ms. Ruiz: Sir, another question po from Leila Saavedra ng Inquirer po. Human rights lawyer Manuel Diokno says the drug war is spiraling out of control and it’s the gun not the law dispensing justice. How does the Palace take this assessment and what action will it take, if any, about the rising body count in the drug war?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ganito po ‘yan ‘no. As far as we can see, the President has given us directives ‘no, given a directive regarding the rising drug — criminality which are drug related. So ang ano po dito, if there are any complaints then ‘wag po natin ibase doon sa speculation. ‘Wag lang po natin ibase sa reportage. Pero kung talagang meron pong mga pruweba, if there’s substantive evidence and proven, the Palace, the government is also of course open to any investigation.

However, it cannot just be based on speculation. And based lang on mga kuro-kuro lang po. It has to be evidence-based also po, na talagang merong mga ano, may mga paglabag. ‘Yun po.

Ms. Ruiz: May tanong naman po si Bombo Reymund. Kung meron nga daw mga, ‘di ba sir, merong talaan ng ganito, ‘yung sa mga mayors. May possibility daw po ba na ‘yung mga candidates for national position ‘nong last elections ay gumamit ng drug money.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Hindi ko po… Wala. We don’t have any comments regarding that. We don’t have any comments regarding that. Pero, ang alam ko po… what can we say is that drug — the influence of drug and criminality has already spread to all sectors of society.

Ms. Ruiz: Meron nga pong ano rin, sinabi po si PNP Chief Dela Rosa base sa isang report ‘no na meron din daw pong mga taga-media na either hindi naman yata drug lords, pero parang protectors, or gumagamit din po.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Kung sinabi po niya ‘yun. Then, probably, he has intelligence reports regarding… that can confirm that.

Ms. Ruiz: Sa ibang topic naman po. Galing ulit kay Leila. She wants po to seek clarification on whether Vice President Robredo is considered a Cabinet-rank official as HUDCC head? Dahil nakapaloob daw po sa EO 1, that the HUDCC was among the agencies placed under the supervision of Cabinet Secretary Evasco. So, maituturing daw po ba siya na Cabinet member or head of agency?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ang pagkakaalam ko po niyan is that policy-wise, she works with Sec. Evasco, but basically she’s responsible to the President as Vice President and ano po siya… she relays to the President, most to the President and to Jun Evasco. Jun Evasco, especially for policy.

Mr. Abelleda: Sir, doon po sa, dagdag ko lang po doon sa kampanya ho ng pamahalaan laban sa droga. Kasi may mga panukala po sa Senado na magtatag po ng isang parang independent body na mag-iimbestiga po doon sa ‘narco generals’ sa halip na NAPOLCOM daw po ‘yung mag-imbestiga. Kasi nasa ilalim din po ito ng DILG at ng Executive department.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: No comment po ako diyan. Hindi po ako familiar regarding that particular issue.

Mr. Abelleda: Sir, doon sa ano po, doon sa.. kukunin lang sir ‘yung reaksyon po ng Palasyo doon sa may panukala rin po kasi na para po doon sa batas laban sa political dynasty.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA Opo. I think lahat naman po ‘yan dumadaan sa proseso. So whatever the ano, whatever the… ano bang tawag — E ‘di ipausad po. Opo.

Any other questions?

Mr. Abelleda: Okay, puro karamihan kasi sir dito ‘yung sa ano, sa panukala ng Senado. ‘Yung sa ano sir, kuha lang po ng doon sa FOI bill. Sir, bale na-refile na rin po kasi sa Kamara ‘yung FOI bill. Ano kaya sir ‘yung epekto ‘non doon sa EO na ilalabas po ng Palasyo, sir?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ano po, it’s under examination. Nagkausap po kagabi… ni Presidente. It’s still being studied. Nire-review lang po ‘yan but it should be signed within early next week.

Ms. Ruiz: Sir, wala na po tayong natatanggap na mga tanong. Maraming salamat sa inyong oras, sir.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Maraming salamat din po and mabuhay po ang Pilipinas.