Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, November 10, 2008

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MR. PRESIDENT,  I RISE AGAIN ON A MATTER OF PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE PRIVILEGE IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUE OF FERRETING OUT THE TRUTH BEHIND THE FERTILIZER FUND SCAM WHICH ONLY FORMER USEC JOCELYN BOLANTE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CAN REVEAL.

LAST OCTOBER 28, 2008, USEC JOCELYN BOLANTE ARRIVED IN THE PHILIPPINES AFTER 2 YEARS OF DETENTION. HE WAS DEPORTED AFTER HIS PETITION FOR ASYLUM WAS FOUND UNMERITORIOUS BY THE US GOVERNMENT.

PAGLAPAG NA PAGLAPAG NIYA SA NAIA, SIYA AY NAMASDANG SAPO ANG KANIYANG DIBDIB NA PARA BAGANG NANINIKIP ANG KANIYANG PAGHINGA NGUNIT NAKUNAN NAMAN SIYA NG VIDEO NA SIYA AY PALAKAD-LAKAD SA LOOB NG EROPLANO NANG PARANG WALANG DINARAMDAM. MUKHANG MAS MAGALING PA SIYANG UMARTE SA AKING KAIBIGANG SI SENADOR BONG REVILLA.

GINOONG PANGULO, SIYA AY DAGLIANG INIHATID SA ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER TALIWAS SA IPINAHAYAG NG TAUHAN NG NAIA AT NG NBI NA ISUSUKO NILA SI G. BOLANTE SA SERGEANT-AT-ARMS NG SENADO.

GINOONG PANGULO, HINDI BA’T KADUDA-DUDA NA MAY PALABAS NA NAMAN NA GUSTONG GAWIN ANG MALAKANYANG  SAPAGKAT SA KANIYANG PAGDATING, MAYROON KAAGAD WHEELCHAIR NA NAKA-ABANG SA KANIYA SAMANTALANG WALANG PAHAYAG ANG PAMAHALAAN NG ESTADOS UNIDOS NA SIYA AY DAPAT PANGALAGAAN DAHIL SIYA AY NANGHIHINA O DILI KAYA’Y MAY KARAMDAMAN. HINDI BA IYAN ANG NORMAL PROCEDURE NG ISANG BANSANG NAGDE-DEPORT NG ISANG TAO NA HINDI PINAYAGAN NA MAGKAROON NG ASYLUM?

HINDI BA’T KAHINA-HINALA NA MAY NAKALAAN KAAGAD NA AMBULANSIYA ANG NAIA NA MAGHAHATID KAY GINOONG BOLANTE SA ST. LUKE’S SAMANTALANG WALA NAMANG IPINAHAYAG ANG SINUMAN TUNGKOL SA KALAGAYAN NI GINOONG BOLANTE?

GINOONG PANGULO, HANGGANG NGAYON, SIYA AY NANANATILI SA OSPITAL SA KABILA NA ANG PAGSUSURI SA KANIYA AY NATAPOS NA AT WALA NAMANG MALUBHANG SAKIT UPANG SIYA AY SUMAILALIM SA PANGANGALAGA NG SERGEANT-AT-ARMS NG SENADO.

MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS ARE NOW BEING USED AS A REFUGE OR SANCTUARY FOR THOSE WHO ARE CHARGED OR ACCUSED OF MISFEASANCE OR OTHER OFFENSES.

WE RECALL WITH DISMAY THE CASES OF PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNMENT CHAIR, ATTY. CAMILO SABIO, AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, MR. NORBERTO GONZALES.

BOTH AVOIDED TESTIFYING IN THE SENATE AND CHOSE TO HIDE IN A HOSPITAL FEIGNING ILL HEALTH. BUT AFTER THE SENATE INVESTIGATION, WALA NAMAN PALA SILANG SAKIT AT MUKHANG MAS MALAKAS PA SILA SA KALABAW NGAYON.

TODAY, I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS MR. BOLANTE WITH THE HOPE THAT HE WILL RELENT AND TAKE THE HIGH ROAD THAT LEADS TO A JOURNEY OF TRUTH, HONOR AND JUSTICE. IT MAY BE A DIFFICULT ONE, BUT IT WILL BE GRATIFYING AND SELF-FULFILLING.

TODAY, MR. PRESIDENT, I ADDRESS MR. BOLANTE IN HIS HOSPITAL PRISON IN ALL CANDOR AND SINCERITY, WITH MUCH CONCERN AND CIVILITY.

 I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THE HOPE THAT HE MAY SEE IT FIT TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE CHAIN THAT HAVE CAUSED HIM MUCH DISTRESS AND ANXIETY, THAT HAS BROUGHT ANGUISH TO HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, THAT HAS CONTINUED TO CAUSE PAIN, NOT ONLY FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY, BUT THE ENTIRE FILIPINO PEOPLE, THE  FARMERS IN PARTICULAR.

TO MR. BOLANTE, I SAY THAT YOU HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH; YOU HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR TWO LONG YEARS, SEPARATED FROM THE AFFECTION AND CARE OF YOUR LOVED ONES AND THE SOCIETY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES.

YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED AND CONTINUE TO BE TREATED AS A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE WHICH I BELIEVE YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT DESERVE.

IKAW SANA AY MAGING MATAPANG NA UPANG IBUNYAG ANG TUNAY NA KATOTOHANAN SA PITONG DAAN AT DALAWAMPU’T WALONG MILYONG PISO (P728M) NA IYONG IPINAMAHAGI NA DAPAT SANA’Y NAPAKINABANGAN NG MGA MAGSASAKA SA KANILANG MGA KABUKIRAN NGUNIT NAUWI LAMANG SA WALANG KABULUHAN.

ANG MGA NAKINABANG AT NAGWALDAS SA NASABING SALAPI AY DAPAT MAGDUSA AT MAPIIT SA KULUNGAN SAPAGKA’T ITO AY ISANG NAPAKALAKING KASALANAN SA TAONG BAYAN.

DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO CONTINUE TO BEING A PARTY AND A CONSPIRATOR TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, JUSTICE WILL HAVE TO PREVAIL, WHETHER IN THIS WORLD, OR IN THE NEXT.

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, YOU AND I, AND EVERYBODY ELSE, WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR OWN CONSCIENCE, WHICH MUST ULTIMATELY SUBMIT TO THE JUDGEMENT, NOT JUST OF THE SENATE, NOT JUST OF THE COURTS, NOT JUST OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, BUT OF A HIGHER AUTHORITY, THE ALMIGHTY GOD OF TRUTH, WHO DISPENSES JUSTICE, WITHOUT FAVOR, BUT COUPLED WITH MERCY AND COMPASSION.

AND SO, IT IS TIME TODAY TO BREAK FREE AND RELEASE YOURSELF FROM YOUR PRISON OF LIES AND DECEPTION THAT HAVE PRACTICALLY CONDEMNED YOU INTO THE SCORN AND CONTEMPT OF YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS.

AKO’Y NANINIWALA NA ANG IYONG KARAMDAMAN SA NGAYON AY DI DAHIL SA IKAW AY MAY SAKIT SAPAGKAT ANG IYONG KALAGAYAN AY HINDI KAYANG LUNASAN NG ISANG DOKTOR O DILI KAYA’Y GAWAN NG KAPARAANAN NG ISANG ABOGADO SAPAGKAT ANG IYONG GINAWA AY LABAG SA BATAS NG POONG MAYKAPAL, ANG PAGNANAKAW AT PAGTATAGO NG KATOTOHANAN.

KAYA NARARAPAT LAMANG NA IYONG LINISIN ANG NASIRA MONG PANGALAN NA HINDI DAPAT MANAHIN NG IYONG MGA ANAK AT ANAK NG IYONG MGA ANAK.

HINDI NAMAN SILA KASAMA DITO. HINDI NAMAN SILA NAKINABANG SA FERTILIZER FUND. BAKIT KAILANGANG MADAWIT SILA SAMANTALANG ANG MGA TUNAY NA SALARIN AY MALAYA PA AT WALANG PANANAGUTAN.

HUWAG MONG HAYAANG MADAMAY ANG IYONG MGA DOKTOR AT PAMILYA SA MGA PAGSUSURI NG TAONG BAYAN SAPAGKAT SILA AY WALANG KINALAMAN SA KATOTOHANANG IYONG PILIT NA IKINUKUBLI SA TAONG BAYAN.

MR. PRESIDENT, ONLY RECENTLY, THE TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL DROPPED AGAIN THE PHILIPPINES BY TEN NOTCHES IN ITS RANKING OF CORRUPTION AMONG 180 COUNTRIES SURVEYED. FROM THE 131^st PLACE IN 2007, WE ARE NOW RANKED 141^st, TIED WITH SUCH COUNTRIES AS IRAN, CAMEROON AND YEMEN. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO STOP THIS SPIRAL OF GOING HIGHER AND HIGHER.

BAKA NEXT YEAR, NASA 180^th PLACE NA TAYO AT NUMERO UNO NA SA PANGUNGURAKOT! ANG PAKI-USAP KO SA IYO, MR. BOLANTE, BIGYAN MO NAMAN ANG BANSA NATIN NG PAGKAKATAON NA MAKABAWI AT MAKA-AHON SA RANKING! HINDI NAMAN LAHAT NG PILIPINO, HINDI NAMAN LAHAT NG LINGKOD BAYAN AY TIWALI. ILAN LANG ANG TIWALI NGUNI’T PATI ANG MATITINO AY NADADAMAY!

I IMPLORE YOU, MR. BOLANTE, TO COME OUT CLEAN OF THAT SHELL AND TELL ALL, END YOUR AGONY THAT YOU MAY RESTORE YOUR DIGNITY AND HONOR IN THE EYES OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, OF YOUR PEOPLE, AND THE SUPREME BEING WHO IS THE FOUNTAIN OF TRUTH. YOU MUST NOW SEEK ASYLUM IN THE LIBERATING GRACE OF TRUTH AGAINST THOSE WHO SEEK YOU HARM.

AKO AY NANINIWALA NA DITO SA SENADO NA IKAW AY IGAGALANG AT BIBIGYAN NG KARAMPATANG PAGTATANGGOL SA IYONG SARILI.

GINOONG PANGULO, KUNG SAKALI BANG ANG KARAMDAMAN NI GINOONG BOLANTE AY DI NAMAN MAGIGING KAHULUGAN NG KANIYANG BUHAY, MAAARI BANG IPAGPATULOY NATIN ANG PAGTAWAG SA KANIYA DITO SA SENADO UPANG MAISIWALAT NIYA ANG BUONG KATOTOHANAN AT IMINUMUNGKAHI KO NA IPADAKIP SIYA KUNG KINAKAILANGAN.

MR. PRESIDENT, THE FOUR-WAY TEST OF THE ROTARY CLUB, OF WHICH MR. BOLANTE IS A MEMBER,  BEGINS WITH, IS IT THE TRUTH, AND CONTINUES TO ASK, IS IT FAIR, WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETTER FRIENDSHIPS, AND FINALLY WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED? I BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE THE STANDARDS BY WHICH MR. BOLANTE SHOULD NOW ABIDE.

MR. PRESIDENT, I CLOSE TODAY WITH THE HOPE THAT MR. BOLANTE WILL COOPERATE AND HEED OUR COMMON AND COLLECTIVE DESIRE TO PUT A CLOSURE TO THE FERTILIZER FUND SCAM AND AS THE LAST BASTION OF THE PEOPLE’S TRUST, WE SHOULD NOT LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH.  

THIS, AFTER ALL, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REDEEM OURSELVES NOT JUST BEFORE OUR PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, BUT IN THE VERDICT OF HISTORY.

THANK YOU AND GOOD DAY.