Sen. Richard Gordon
EXAMINE with Senator Richard Gordon
22 October 2009
H: Howie Severino
G: Sen. Richard “Dick†Gordon
H: The first question is from a Les Reago, an engineer OFW from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. You have been more visible as governor of the Red Cross. What is your priority, the Senate or the Red Cross?
G: Both are priorities. I try to be a well-rounded individual. I think (an) individual should not just be a politician. I think it’s important that you get your feet on the ground, smell the flowers, see what’s out there and not just happiness but the dreariness of things and therefore try to make things better. But if you look at my Senate record, you know in the Senate, they only watch the bakbakan. They don’t watch yung talagang tunay na…
We did the automation election law. That means there’s gonna be a sea change, magbabago ang eleksyon. Bibilis ang bilangan, mawawala yung ‘Hello, Garci?’ Mawawala yan, because pag binilang, mabilis na yan. uess the question is, your work is very important, how can you afford to do something else?
H: Okay, here’s another character question from Leo Reyes from Navotas. What would you consider a personal weakness that may become a hindrance to your becoming a good president?
G: I’m too frank. I tell people off. I tell them, I’m not there to please you. I’m there to lead, I’m there to do what is right. You drop a cigarette on my floor in the middle of Pinatubo, I pick it up and I tell you, despite of the fact that we’re having a hard time in Pinatubo, we still manage to maintain our sanitation habits. You know who that is? Joseph Estrada. Solita Monsod went to the high school in Olongapo, smoking like a chimney, dropped a cigarette. I pick it up and I said, “Winnie, you may be my sorority sister but you drop your cigarette out here one more time and I’ll arrest you.†My classmate was smoking on the yacht club, threw his cigarettes, I said don’t do that. This was at the beginning of Subic. You do that, and I’ll enforce the law against you.
I’m frank, I’m candid, I’ll tell you the way it is. I’ll tell Erap, “I’m sorry, I don’t think you should be president. You botched it. Binigyan ka ng pinakamalaking regalo ng tao, anong ginawa mo? Wala kang ginawa. Nagwala ka doon sa Malacanang. Kaya anong nangyari, natanggal ka. And now you will come back? I’m sorry, we may be friends but I’m not gonna vote for you. And I will ask people not to vote for you. And I will campaign against you because I’m going to be a candidate.†If I’m going to be a candidate, I’ll do that.
G: No, no, no. People are not used to me. They’re seeing something for the first time. They’re seeing reality. NO pretensions. No, “Oo sige you be nice. It’s okay, I’ll be nice to you kahit minumura mo na ko.†No, no, no, no, no. That’s not gonna happen with me. And if they don’t want that, fine, I can live with it. But don’t complain if you get somebody you like and not somebody that’s needed, don’t complain.
H: So how?
G: You’re catching me at a bad time eh…
H: How would that help you though as a president? You’re known for having kind of a “my way or the highway†approach.
G: No, no, no. That is a judgment. Anong “my way or the highway?†You think people are gonna follow me because it’s my way or the highway? I give a vision. There’s the vision. That’s how we’re gonna do it. You elected me, follow me. If you don’t like it, ask for a motion for reconsideration. But once we decide, sabay sabay tayo lahat don.
Singapore, dictatorship? Lee Kuan Yew? Oh yeah! Magkano sweldo ng teacher dun? 122,000 a month. Magkano sweldo ng teacher natin? Demokrasya tayo! Mabuhay ang demokrasya! Mabuhay ang kalayaan! 12,000 a month.
G: No, no. That has happened before. But look at where they are now? Diba si Park Chung Hee ng South Korea, ganun din? What you’re talking about is the difference between a formal dictatorship and a strong leader? What do you prefer? A dictatorship or a strong leader? I consider myself a strong leader. My name is **** but it’s not dictator, in fact Dicks make people happy.
H: This is from Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Jojo Perez, “If you were not running for president, who among the presidential aspirants today would you be supporting?â€ÂÂ
G: No one. No one. That’s why it’s a weak field. I’ll tell you why. Anong record niyan sa executive experience? You need to have an executive experience when you become president. Villar may have been president of his company but that’s business. Business is a dictatorship in this country. You know that? Alright?
Let’s talk about Noynoy. Anong executive experience nyan? He was congressman. He was senator. His father was senator, governor, mayor. His mother was president. His uncles were senators. His auntie was a senator. His grandfather was senator, vice president, during the Japanese occupation. That’s all they’ve got. How’s Tarlac? Ganun din si Gibo. Same line. He may be Secretary of National Defense. What happened? He was in advertising, “Oo, maghanda tayo.†Dumating ang bagyo, yari tayo.
I think they’re smart people. I’m not going to charge them on their personality. Record for record. I think that’s fair. You can hit me on my record. I can hit you on your record. But that’s the way we should look at it. Sino pa? Escudero’s a nice chap. We get along very well. He (inaudible) as Senator, three years. And congressman siya for nine years. Apart from being nice on television, what has he done?
I can tell you what I’ve done. I can share my record. I fixed up Olongapo. It killed my father. That’s why everytime somebody gets assassinated there – pag may pinapatay dun, I speak up.
H: Speaking of human rights, since you mentioned it, this is from Jun Verzola of Baguio City, what would be your approach to human rights? (G: Education.) And what do you think of the current administration’s policy towards human rights?
G: It sucks. I mean, it’s not the administration, it’s us. People ride on motorcycles in this country. May radio station manager, babarilin sa harap ng kanyang anak ng naka-motorsiklong tao. You know how many times it has happened? Hundreds of times. Binabaril sa Mindanao, sa Samar. Pinapasok sa bahay ng mga naka-bonnet, naka-motorsiklo. It’s not the administration. It’s people who take it. I’ve spoken against that in Congress.
H: Okay. This is from Jose Joven Paulo Espinosa, question sent through Facebook, are you worried about climate change?
G: Definitely. In Subic right now, in Sangley point, you look at both ends, baha. Tumataas ang tubig. The last typhoon, and I’m in the Red Cross, I know. It’s because lumakas ang tubig, nagme-melt yung ice pack…
H: So what can the Philippines do about it?
G: Be smarter. We don’t have to kill ourselves because there’s no solution. You don’t build…you know I have a building right now, eto, lahat ho ng nakikinig diyan, sumali po kayo sa Red Cross, 143. One, four, three. I love you.
H: From Dr. Renato Montenegro of Quezon City, Do you agree with Ninoy Aquino when he said that the Filipino people is worth dying for?
G: I can agree with Ninoy Aquino, he’s my fraternity brother, on a number of things. I don’t agree with many of the things he did also. Like I disagree with Marcos a lot. I voted to ban Marcos in the Constitution but with Ninoy, sabi sa kanya nung araw, Sarsa. God bless his soul. Sarsa ang tawag sa kanya sa Tarlac.
H: Sarsa. Why?
G: Magaling magsalita. Yun ang sinasabi sa kaniya. And he was a good and great speaker. But, “The Filipino is worth dying for?†That’s a nice slogan. Acta, non verba. Gawin mo. Do you like to die? I don’t think so. You know what Patton said? “I don’t believe in the soldier dying for his own country. Let the other son of a ***** die for his country. Kill him,†sabi niya. Yan ang sabi ni Patton. What I’m saying is, live for your country. Matuto kang magbigay buhay. Ibigay mo yung buhay mo. Like, I’m criticized for being Red Cross, 40 years, that’s my extra-curricular activity. I don’t have a woman. I don’t have all these people running around in luxury cars. I enjoy my work in the Red Cross.
H: And that concludes our interview. We have just examined Sen. Richard Gordon. Thank you for your questions, and thank you, Senator.
G: Thank you. I hope pumasa ako sa conduct.
END
Medyo, inedit ko na po, kasi masyadong mahaba. Para sa buong interview, eto po yung link:
source:
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/yourvox/inte...ichard-gordon/
