Full transcript: VP debate at UST

Pinky Webb: Ano iyong mas mataas na penalty?

Sen. Antonio Trillanes:  Puwede yan- kung inaallow na yung- ngayon kasi reclusion perpetua yan eh. So ganon pa din, mataas na penalty na yun. That’s the highest na binibigay satin. Pero vung kung ano ah-  Hindi naming pwedeng habang buhay nakakulong pa din.  Kailangan ma doctrinate at mahrehabilitate yung offenderng sa ganon mapakinabangan ng lipunan.

Pia Hontiveros: Ang init ng debate kapag korupsyon ang usapan. I’m sorry but we really need to move on. I think we’re going to get back to this corruption issue a little later on in the debate. But first, this next question will be coming from a member of our panel from the Business Mirror. Let’s welcome, John Mangun. Go ahead, John.

John Mangun: I have been in the Philippines for 30 years. I’ve seen the giant economic strides this country has made. However, the Philippines has never been able to turn the corner on sutainbable significant poverry reduction. Senator, the only thing that can cure poverty is Economic growth and economic growth requires investment- both foreignand domestic. And investors feel the Philippines has a weak rule of law. It’s hard to do business when policies from the Government are unpredictable aswe saw in 2010 with the mining laws.  And the Philippines has recently been criticized for a weak judicialsystem.  What can be done to improve the judicial system of the Philippines?

Sen. Antonio Trillanes:  OK, I have propsed several measures to reform the judicial system. One is the institutionalization of the internal ombudsman for the judiciary that will allow them to have the mechanism to police their ranks. Right they do not have that. All the adminiustrative cases are passé on to the Court Administrator whose primary roles is to conduct or oversee the administrative matters. So by having the internal ombudsman, they will be able to police the ranks. Another measure eI am proposing is the creation of the martial service. This will  allow them to be secured. Because ein areas or some cases it would be dangerous or they arew facing- or the accused are very  dangerous people, some of the judges feel they are vulnerable that is why they are intimidatedand eventually they give in.

Pia Hontiveros: Sen. Honasan?

Sen. Gringo Honasan: John, may I venture an answer to help my collegues, Sen. Trillanes. It’s our lot of predictability, sustainability and continuity. New President, new medium term economic development program. We’re perpetuallyinto medium term planning. Second, we must reinforce our political party system. Third, convine de la daq-  Legislative, Executive, Advisory Council so that we could  hammer out a National Agenda and our priorities.True, our problems are economic in nature but the first steps must be political. Thank you.

Pinky Webb: Congress Woman Leni Robredo, would you like to weigh in on the subject?

Leni: I would like to agree with both of them but I would like to add that we- we need to improve the ease of doing business in the Philippines.  Most business people from all over the world have been complaining that it has been very difficult for them to start doing business in the Philippines. But your question on judicial reform, whileI agree with most of the point s of Sen. Trillanes, I think he is is missing one very important point, and that is tomake sure judicial appointments won’t be political anymore.

Pia Hontiveros: Thank you. Thank you, Congresswoman Robredo. Before we take a break it’s time now for a yes or no question. This question was sent to us via Facebook from Urbaymbmest2012. So please candidates, get your signboards. Ang tanong, dapat ba isama sa death penalty ang mgamapapatunayang nangungurakot. Yes or no? Let me see you answers, please. Sen. Cayetano saying ‘Yes’. Sen. Escudero, Honasan, Marcos, Robredo and Trillanes saying ‘No’. Those are your answers- answers of the candidates.

Pinky Webb: And this next question will be for Congresswoman Leni Robredo and its coming from CNN Asia Pacific editor, Andrew Stevens.

Andrew Stevens: Thanks very much for giving me the opportunity to be part of the CNN Philippines VP election debate.  My question is, under the President Aquino, the Philippines became the fastest growing in South East Asia. What would you do to make sure that growth continues?

Cong. Leni Robredo: Yung sa akin po, ngayon nakita po natin na iyong growth ay talagang highest na. Highest na hindi lang po dito sa ating neighboring countries pero historically. Pero hindi pa po masyado ngayon nararamdaman ang inclusive growth. Marami na pong mga programa ngayon na sinimulan an gating Gobyerno na kailangan ituloy. Pero hindi iyon sufficient. Kailangan pa dagdagan ang napakaraming programa. Halimbawa po, ngayon po an gating 4P’s nameameasure yung gains noon. Marami na po yung natnagal na individuals. 28 million individuals po ngayon wala na sa- sa kahirapan. Pero kulang pa po yun kasi ang kulang po nun ay sustainability.  Kaya po tayo ay- lalaong sumusulong para dagdagan ito. May apat pa na P’s  na kailangan dagdagin: Pabahay, Pagkain, PaghahanapbuhayOamumuhay at Paghahanda pos a kahit ano mang sakuna. Kasi po pag hindi sila hinanda, hindi din masusutain yung growth.

Pinky Webb: Does anyone want to rebut? Sen, Marcos, go ahead. Sir?

Sen. Bongbong Marcos: Tooto nga na lagi nating naririnig sa ating mga economic manager na napaka bilis n gating growth rate sa Pilipinas-

Pinky Webb: Can we please appeal to our audience to give our candidates a chance to speak, please? Thank you very much. Go ahead, Sen. Bongbong Marcos.

Sen. Bongbong Marcos: Walang ibig sabihin ang growth rate kapag ang poverty rate natin ay hindi nagbabago, kapag ang mortality rate natin ay hindi nagbabago. Ang sa palagay ko ang problema ay kagaya- ay kahit na sinasabi na ito ay inclusive growth, hindi nga inclusive dahil hindi nararamdaman ng pangkanariwang mamayanang Pilipino. Kaya kailangan po natin gawin ang lahat po lahat ng paraan na para pabain. Kung meron mang yaman na pumapasok sa Pilipinas ay dapat pumunta sa taong bayan at di lamang sa mga mayayaman, kung hindi sa malalaking korporasyon. Kung hindi ang dapat gawin natin ay ilipat sa ang mga yaman nay an sa naghihirasp. Hangang ngayon hindi pa nila nararamdaman yung pinagmamalaki ng growth rate n gating Administrasyon.

Pinky Webb: Kanina po- Kanina po, si Sen. Chiz ay umiiling. Gumaganon po [shakes head]. Sen. Chiz, bakit po?

Sen. Chiz Escudero: Ikaw naman, muntik lang ako masamid sa tubig na iniinom ko-

Pinky Webb: Hindi eh. Nakita ko yung haba-

Sen. Chiz Escudero:  Hayaan mo na, sabihin ko. Tama si Cong. Leni. Gayun din si Sen. Marcos na hindiinclusive ang growth. Hindi ito nararamdaman sa bawat sulok ng bansa. Naiiwan pa rin ang magsasaka at mangingisda. Naiiwan ang pinaka mahihirap sa ating kababayan. Itong pagyaman ng bansa, mas yumayaman po lamang yung dati ng mayayaman. Ang importante po at ang hamon sa Administrasyon na ito at sa susunod, dapat maiparamdam ito sa pinakamahihirap nating kababayan. Ang tanong ko ay simple, bakit tuwing gumagawa ng kalye yung Gobyerno hindi naman pinagbabayad yung mayamang may kotse tuwing gumagamit noon? Pero tuwing  gagawa ang Gobyrerno ng irigasyon para sa magsasaka pinagbabayad niya sa kada litro ng tubig na dadaan doon. Kung sino pa yung mahirap, iyon pa yung pinagbabayad. Kung sino yugn mayaman, yun pa yung libre at walang bayad. Dapat baguhin iyon sa susunod na Administrasyon.

Pinky Webb: Sen. Cayetano muna, and Congresswoman.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano: Ang ekonomiya po ay luamalago pero ang krimen, droga, at poverty ay siyang lumalago din. Gumagrabe. Pano naming sosolusyonan ni Mayor Duterte? Unang-una po, kami lang ang may urgent na pananaw na ngayon na, sa 6 na buwan tangalin ang droga at krimen.  Pangalawa po, kami lang ang naniniwala na ang systema ay sira- we have to fix the system. We should start with economic federalism. Not only the urban centers ut the rural centers. Three, massive infrastructure and transportation system like the Mindanao Railway System, Legaspi  to La Union but –that cannot be done kung si Sec. Abaya ang Secretary mo. 2050 pa bago magawa iyun. 4, corruption for peso collected, 2 pesos is not collected. So, in the end it’s not the platform, Sir. It’s political will and leadership that will win the day.

Pia Hontiveros: All right, we need to Move on Sen Cayetano. Thank you very much for that statement. Sayang wala dito si Secretary Abaya. Pero hindi rin siya pwede sumagot. So far we’ve been talking about corruption- napaka exciting no pag korupsyon ang pinaguusapan. Sabi nga sa social media, parang Pacquiao VS.  Bradley part 2. Ano to, Marcos VS. Cayetano?

And so, poverty, economic growth, now we move on to  political dynasties. So a German Think Tank, Bertelsmann foundation said, “True progress sin the Philippines is a pipe dream unless we Dismantle Dynasties that control politics and business.” There are other studies out there that say oligarchies  get in the way of democracy. We’re going to get some quick answers right now via ‘Yes or No’  here to see where our VP candidates stand on the issue of Political Dynasties. Candidates, please show us your sign boards. Yes or no. Do you belong to a political dynasty?

The answer of Sen. Cayetano is- what is that? Half an answer, Sen Cayetano? Hindi po kayo kasama sa  Political Dynasty? But I am sorry there is no explanation. Sen. Chiz Escudero says ‘Yes’. Sen. Honasan ‘No’. Sen. Marcos, what is your answer?

Sen. Bongbong Marocs: I suppose, depending on the definition, yes.

Pia Hontiveros: Yes. Cong. Robredo and Sen. Trillanes answer is ‘No’