Sen. Migz Zubiri, nagbitiw bilang Senate President | 24 Oras

4 months ago

Sinagot ni Sen. Migz Zubiri ang mga isyu kaugnay sa kanyang pagbitiw sa puwesto. Tumanggi siyang tukuyin kung sino ang "powers that be" na hindi niya raw nasunod. Ang buong panayam sa 24 Oras.

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Transcript

00:00 At this point, we will now listen to our former Senate President, Senator Mig Zubiri.

00:06 Good evening to you, Senator.

00:08 Thank you.

00:10 Senator, yes.

00:12 Hello, Vicky. Good evening to you and to all the fellow citizens watching.

00:15 Yes, very long day for you.

00:17 You said in your speech that you failed to follow instructions from the powers that be.

00:23 What do you mean by that?

00:29 What are the instructions?

00:30 Well, as I mentioned in the news item earlier,

00:32 you know, when it came to the PIPOS initiative, we fought against it.

00:40 Because, of course, the Senate will be disbanded and we did not agree to protect the institution.

00:46 We really fought against it.

00:48 The Senate remained and the PIPOS was also disbanded.

00:52 When it started, that was January, February, I saw some rumors, some black propaganda,

01:01 a bit of a slap in the face to our leaderato and by our allies.

01:06 And I just said, we are defending the Senate as an institution,

01:12 as an independent institution of our country, as the last bastion of democracy.

01:18 I felt some yes, yes.

01:23 Senator, you said the powers that be.

01:26 Who are the powers that be that you are referring to in your statement?

01:29 Well, very influential people, maybe, who stood up for me.

01:35 Especially, this news item, many people told me that because of the hearings of BATO,

01:41 some people stood up for me, why I continued the hearings.

01:47 You know, Vicky, when President Digong held the family of Senator Gordon,

01:57 that hearing was for a year, almost a year, we did not stop it.

02:02 Because that is the prerogative of the committee chairman.

02:06 We give them their independence and their right to hold hearings like this.

02:12 So it is very difficult for me to tell my colleagues that they should stop those hearings,

02:18 you should not hold hearings.

02:20 Because time and time again, in traditions of the Senate, in the rules of the Senate,

02:25 we allow under the committee system, the senators to conduct hearings.

02:31 We do not have that right as Senate President.

02:35 We are different from the House of Representatives.

02:37 And so we give them the proper leeway, which is given in the traditions and rules of the Senate.

02:42 That is why the news item that someone stood up for me, I cannot tell who stood up for me,

02:48 but because of that, this is the consequence of my action.

02:52 Unfortunately, I am just protecting the institution.

02:56 Senator, you mentioned, from instructions from the powers that be.

03:01 When you say powers that be, are you referring to the President?

03:04 To the First Lady?

03:06 I don't want to make guesses, but people that are influential enough to secure the votes.

03:16 You know, last Saturday, a lot of people texted me, "We have support, we are 100% with you.

03:24 You are our candidate. You are good for the institution."

03:28 After 24 hours of waking up, they are not answering me.

03:32 That kind of reaction, especially from my friends,

03:38 who I consider to be my true friends, I am heartbroken by these events.

03:44 It is really saddening.

03:46 I am not just badmouthing the Senate, I cannot convince them of that.

03:53 Which is okay.

03:55 All is fair in love and war.

03:57 You know, that is politics.

03:58 We have understood that we have been in politics for a long time, since 1998.

04:03 So, it is okay.

04:04 What I am saddened by is that I am heartbroken that my friends,

04:10 who I consider to be my true allies,

04:12 have left us without even talking to us.

04:21 What is important is that my fight will continue.

04:25 I will continue my fight for the benefits to our workers,

04:31 for the programs and projects for the poor.

04:35 That will continue as an ordinary Senator.

04:39 Senator, yes.

04:40 How betrayed do you feel?

04:42 Because you said that you have a sense that you are being left alone in the Senate.

04:48 I mean, how do you feel at this point?

04:54 You know, I am the saddest person in this event.

04:57 I was one of the supporters of the Unity Team.

05:01 I was one of the supporters of the Digong Marcos match-up

05:06 and the Coming Together United for the country.

05:09 Then, there was a fight, a fight, and then it was divided.

05:18 I am a victim.

05:19 I was in the middle.

05:20 I said this in Senator Bato's hearing.

05:23 I said that a group of people were angry with me because I have supporters who are their leaders.

05:29 I am also angry with this group because I am allowing you to give that hearing.

05:34 So, I was in the middle.

05:36 That's okay with me because I am fighting for the institution.

05:39 Because the institution is very important.

05:42 Being the last bastion of democracy, I really respect the tradition,

05:46 the traditions of our Senate.

05:48 And because of that, maybe someone was angry with me,

05:51 someone was angry with me, and this is our situation.

05:54 But I would like to thank my fellow citizens who stayed with me.

06:00 First of all, Senator Sunny Angara, Senator Joel Villanueva,

06:06 Senator Lauren Legarda, Senator Nancy Binay, Senator JV Ayres.

06:11 Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, they really, until the very end,

06:17 believed in our leadership that the rules-based and traditions-based Senate in our Republic should remain.

06:26 Senators, regarding the Pidea Leaks, you said that you may have ruffled some feathers on the independent stance of the Senate.

06:33 What are your instructions on the Pidea Leaks?

06:36 Are you stopping this?

06:38 Well, there are many intermediaries who are talking to me.

06:45 "This is not good for you, Senator Subiri.

06:49 Many will be offended by you," etc.

06:53 So, I told them,

06:56 Senator Richard Gordon, I couldn't stop him.

06:59 He was the chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee for a year,

07:03 who was hearing on the Farmally issue.

07:06 And I congratulate him because of his findings.

07:08 Look at what happened.

07:09 There were cases where the Ombudsman used those hearings.

07:14 So, who am I to stop my colleagues from doing their job if that is allowed under the rules?

07:23 That's why I said, I pray and hope that Senate President Escudero will still continue to uphold the rules and traditions of the Senate.

07:33 The rules and traditions of the Senate should remain.

07:37 It should not be replaced or changed for the sake of one group.

07:45 We will keep an eye on it.

07:47 Our group will keep an eye on it to make sure that the traditions will continue.

07:52 Senator, what is the fate of the Charter Change and the hearings on the Pidea Leaks?

07:57 Where does that stand now?

07:59 Well, I'm sure there will be committee changes.

08:05 I don't know what their plans are with our new leader.

08:10 As far as the RBH 6 hearings, this Friday and Thursday in Cebu and Friday in Cagayan de Oro,

08:19 I think that will be cancelled.

08:21 It will not continue because Senator Angara, the chairman of the subcommittee, resigned.

08:28 Of course, Senator Chiz will not agree because he is anti-Chaz.

08:33 So, the reform of the Constitution will stop.

08:37 So, those are the hard facts and I think we will respect the decision of the majority,

08:44 the leadership particularly on this issue.

08:46 So, as far as we're concerned, the Charter Change hearings this week are all cancelled.

08:52 You've spent the best years of your life in the Senate.

08:55 How painful is this?

08:56 Can you describe it?

09:01 Well, as I said earlier, I'm heartbroken.

09:05 You know, I'm okay with politics because we can handle it.

09:10 As politicians, we know that it's our own advocacy, our own adhikain.

09:18 We are only as good as our team, the ones who support us.

09:22 The only thing that hurts is the ones who are fighting.

09:24 That's the only thing that hurts.

09:26 And I forgive them and I hope that the future, I hope that history will be kind to things like this.

09:37 For me, it's a test of character.

09:39 So, I hope for the new leaders of the Senate, I hope that you do your jobs well.

09:47 When you said "tridor," what are you referring to?

09:54 Well, as I said earlier in my speech, I'm heartbroken.

09:57 Because those are the ones who are giving messages that they are 100% for me.

10:04 They believe in what we're fighting for.

10:08 And of course, we are thankful for their support.

10:15 And then, on the last day, last night, yesterday, they were gone.

10:21 They're not answering anymore.

10:23 It's hard to be a politician in our country, Vicky.

10:26 It's really hard.

10:27 It's hard.

10:28 And it's hard to stay principled as a politician.

10:30 So, I don't want to impute any malice to my fellow countrymen.

10:35 Of course, I'm a bad person, but once again, I don't want to rain on the parade of Senator Chises Guerrero.

10:41 Congratulations, Senator President Chises Guerrero.

10:43 And we wish you well.

10:46 Does the President still enjoy your support at this point?

10:50 Ah.

10:51 That's for another discussion.

10:58 Thank you very much, Vicky, for your time.

11:01 And I hope that all we do here is for the good of the country.

11:05 All right.

11:06 Anything else you want to add?

11:08 Maybe to your colleagues at the Senate?

11:11 Thank you very much to all the people who are watching.

11:13 Any message for them?

11:14 Yes, and to my colleagues, thank you for your support.

11:18 Yes, and to my colleagues, again, I want to thank those who stood by me, who believed in our fight,

11:24 who helped me defend the institution.

11:26 You know, there was a time when I thought our institution would be gone and it would be irrelevant.

11:32 We really fought for it.

11:35 And I'm just sad that it had to end this way, but I respect the decision of the majority.

11:41 I'm a good soldier, and it's my time now to step down and signing off as your former Senate President.

11:50 All right.

11:51 Thank you very much for your time, Senator Biggs, and good night to you.

11:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]

12:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

12:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]

12:06 (upbeat music)

Sen. Migz Zubiri, nagbitiw bilang Senate President | 24 Oras

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