IMPOUNDED NORTH KOREAN SHIP

Lei Alviz (GMA-7): Good afternoon, sir. Sir, ‘yungbarkopong North Korea sa Subic, anonapoanggagawinpodoon?

SEC. COLOMA: The Philippine government is complying with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2270 on the imposition of sanctions pertaining to North Korea. For this reason, the M/V Jin Teng has been impounded in the Port of Subic, Zambales. We have been informed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that an inter-agency meeting was convened yesterday at the initiative of the National Coast Watch Center to discuss further actions. The meeting was participated in by the DFA, the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) and the Philippine Coast Guard, and the DOJ (Department of Justice) and the Bureau of Immigration.


It was decided that the Coast Guard will continue to hold the vessel at port until the ongoing inquiry and investigation has been completed. It was also agreed that the crew may be allowed to leave if justified by the results of the investigation.

Ms. Alviz: Sir, na-inspect na rin poba ‘yung laman po ‘nung barko?

SEC. COLOMA: From what I have been informed, the Coast Guard has conducted some initial investigation or initial — has conducted inspection rather. But they are still going on with respect to the full inquiry and investigation that the UN Security Council resolution requires.

Ina Andolong (CNN Philippines): Hi, sir, just a quick follow up. Are we looking at a timeline on how soon we would like to resolve or complete the investigation?

SEC. COLOMA: It is up to the agencies concerned to determine if the processes needed have been completed.

Nikko Dizon (The Philippine Daily Inquirer): Sir, just to clarify, too. Is there a certain timeline that we can impound the Jin Teng?

SEC. COLOMA: I am not aware of any time restriction imposed by the United Nations. What we are doing here is just to comply with the requirements of the UN Security Council resolution. My cursory reading of the resolution did not afford me to see if there were timelines. I think it’s more of the specifications of what needs to be ascertained by the process of investigation. I am not aware of any time limits.

Ms. Dizon: Sir, there was another North Korean vessel under that OMM Shipping Company under North Korea that was impounded in 2014 and they discovered that it brought some old — parangmilitary material like the MiG jets of Russia. Sir, are we concerned that Jin Teng also has this kind of cargo being concealed?

SEC. COLOMA: Our main concern is that we are compliant with the UN Security Council resolution; and the UN is clear in its resolution on the items that it is interested in. And the purpose of the imposition of sanctions under that resolution is to restrict the movement of such vessels and other vehicles that may be used in transporting the equipment or the armaments that the UN seeks to restrict. But I am not aware of the previous incident you are referring to and, in any case, I am not sure if that would also be covered by the current resolution that we are talking about.

RoicesNaguit (TV-5): Sir, has there been any parang effort coming from the NoKor — any NoKor officials to facilitate siguro ‘yung release ‘nung vessel?

SEC. COLOMA: We don’t have any information regarding that. The only information we have been provided is the meeting of the National Coast Watch Center with the concerned agencies and the agreements that were reached by the agencies that participated in that meeting.

FREEING DETAINEES UNDER AQUINO ADMINISTRATION

NelMaribojoc (UNTV): Sec, malapit nang matapos ‘yung term ng admin pero wala pa ring naco-convict doon sa mga nai-file na cases laban sa mga personalities tulad doon sa pork barrel at saka kay CGMA. May nakikita po ba kayong epekto doon sa anti-corruption campaign ng admin tungkol po dito partikular dito sa paparating na eleksyon?

SEC. COLOMA: Hindi natitinag ang determinasyon ng pamahalaan na supilin ang katiwalian at korupsyon. Ang paglilitis ng mga sinampahan ng kaso ay nasa kamay ng hudikatura. Hinggil dito, batid natin na patuloy na nagsasagawa  ng repormaang Korte Suprema upang pabilisin ang resolusyon ng mga nakabinbing usapin sa mga hukuman. Hindi magiging ganap ang paggawad ng hustisya hanggat hindi nagagawaran ng kaukulang parusa ang mga napatunayang may sala kaya’t patuloy na ipinaglalaban ng Aquino administration ang prinsipyong ito.

Mr. Maribojoc: Kaugnay po doon, hindi po ba kayo nababahala doon sa mga nagiging pahayag ng mga pulitiko na sinasabi nila na kapag sila ay nanalo bilang Pangulo ay palalayain nila ‘yung mga nakadetene (detain) ngayon na mga personalities na involve doon sa mga isyu na ito?

SEC. COLOMA: May proseso ang batas hinggil sa pagpapalaya ng mga detenido o detainees at dapat sundin ang batas sa lahat ng pagkakataon.

SENATOR GRACE POE’S DISQUALIFICATION CASE

Ms. Alviz: May lumabas po, sir, na article tungkol po doon sa umanoy alok na P50 million sa mga SC justices po kapalit ng disqualification po ni Senator Grace Poe?

SEC. COLOMA: We deplore this unfounded allegation, which is baseless and untrue. We respect the independence of the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of all cases including those involving qualifications of presidential candidates.

Ms. Alviz: Follow up po. Sir, kung sakali pong ma-disqualify si Senator Grace Poe hindi po ba mababahiran ‘yung desisyon pong Supreme Court given na may lumabas po na ganitong istorya po?

SEC. COLOMA: Ang iyong binanggit ay siguro ay maaaring sabihin na purely speculative at hindi pa napapanahon para gumawa — o hindi tama na gumawa tayong espekulasyon. Mas mainam na bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating Korte Suprema na magpasya at ilahad ang kanilang pagpasya.

ReymundTinaza (BomboRadyo): Sir, konting follow up lang. But it seems to be the allegation is damaging considering it named (Manuel) Roxas and President Aquino. Don’t you have any move to investigate who or the sources of that issue?

SEC. COLOMA: Well, nasa panahon tayo ng isang kampanyang pampulitika at hindi malayong ang mga nagpapalutang ng mga ganyan alegasyon ay merong mga motibong pulitikal. Pansinin natin, wala na mang kongkretong katibayan na iniaalay kaya’t makatwiran na tawagin ang kanilang mga sinasabi na purong espekulasyon lamang nawalang batayan at hindi na dapat patulan sa ngayon.

ISIS ‘RECRUITMENT’ IN MINDANAO

Mr. Tinaza: Sir, another issue. Sir do you find any credibility to the statement of Chairman (Al-Hajj) Murad of MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) claiming that the continuous attempt of Islamic State terrorist group to recruit those disgruntled Moro rebels and they’re trying to establish a stronghold in Mindanao?

SEC. COLOMA: Paki-ulit lang ‘yung ano ‘yung pangalawang tanong?

Mr. Tinaza: Do we find any credibility to the claim of Chairman Murad that they are or the Moro rebels are being recruited by IS to establish a stronghold in the region?

SEC. COLOMA: Ito ang aking pagkaunawa sa mga pahayag ni Chairman Murad. Nag-ukol ako ng panahon para unawain ang kanyang mga pahayag at ito ang aking pagkaunawa.Sinabi niya na mahalagang ipagpatuloy ang prosesong pangkapayapaan sa Mindanao. Sinabi rin niya na mahalagang isulong ito sa pamamagitan ng pagpasa ng Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Obserbasyon niya na habang nakabinbin ang usapin ng Bangsamoro Basic Law, maaaring may patuloy na magsasamantala sa sitwasyon at patuloy na maghahasik ng agam-agam at ligalig. Ito ‘yung kontekstong kanyang sinabi at kabilang narito ‘yung mga terror groups or terrorist elements.

Kaya’t sinabi niya na mainam na patuloy naitaguyod natin ‘yung prosesong pang-kapayapaan dahil ‘yung ligalig, agam-agam, alinlangan — ‘yan ay nabubuhay sa isang sitwasyon ng walang kasiguruhan o uncertainty na siyang tinutukoy ‘nung pagkakaroon ng batas. Sa ngayon, ang atin lang sandigan sa prosesong pangkapayapaan ay ‘yung Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at batid natin na nagkaroon nang pagpupulong ang magkabilang panig — Philippines and MILF sa Malaysia — at nagkasundo na hanggang sa 2017 ay ipapairal ‘yung mga major na kasunduan na magpapanatili sa katahimikan at kaayusan including ‘yung mga mekanismo ng ceasefire at ‘yung AHJAG (Ad hoc Joint Action Group), ‘yung action group nila sa Bangsamoro. At nakikita naman natin na buo ‘yung pagtitiwala sa isa’t isa nang magkabilang panig, buo ‘yung pagsisikap na ipagpatuloy ang prosesong pangkapayapaan kaya’t siguro mas mainam na ‘yon ang pagtuunan natin ng pansin at ‘wag tayong padadala sa propaganda ng mga nais lumikha ng ligalig.

Mr. Tinaza: Sir, you’ve mentioned propaganda. So, as we speak, you still maintain the previous position of Malacañang and the military that there is no operational link yet between, for example, the Maute group and the ISIS?

SEC. COLOMA: Oo.

Mr. Tinaza: Thank you, Sir.

Ms. Dizon: Sir, just to be categorical about it. The administration also — our government also shares the same concern, now and the time that we finally have a Basic Law, it could be exploited by terrorist groups?

SEC. COLOMA: Dalawang panig kasi ang nagtutulungan para sa pagpapairal ng prosesong pangkapayapaan. At katulad ng ating tinalakay kanina, nagkaroon kaagad ng pagpupulong ang magkabilang panig sa Kuala Lumpur noong nakaraang buwan at nagkaroon ng mga kongkretong kasunduan kung paano titiyakin ‘yung pagpapatuloy ng katahimikan at kaayusan.

Kaya itong mga inilahad ni Chairman Murad, sa aking palagay, ay maaaring ituring natin na amplification noong pinasukan nilang kasunduan with the Philippine panel. Patuloy naman ‘yung pagiging isang ating panig at ng MILF sa pagnanasa ng itaguyod ‘yung prosesong pangkapayapaan at nagkakatugma naman ‘yung ating pananaw na hindi dapat na maantala ito, bagamat medyo tumigil nga ‘yung proseso dahil doon sa nag-adjourn na para doon sa election campaign ang Kongreso habang hindi pa naipapasa ‘yung BBL.

Kaya’t nandoon pa rin ’yung determinasyon na maitaguyod ang proseso, maipasa ‘yung BBL at ito ay ang pahayag hindi lamang ng pamahalaan, kung hindi ng MILF na rin. Nagkakatugma naman ‘yung ating — ‘yung mga batayang prinsipyo na ginagamit ng magkabilang panig.