Press Release - Sen. Pia Cayetano statements Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on Dirty Ashtray

Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on Dirty Ashtray Transcript
Question and Answer (part 1)
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I have a number of questions, but I'll hold it for later because I'd like to hear the others. But I was talking to my staff so I just wanna be sure I heard you right. So you said towards the end, which is not part of your speech, that you spoke to all the members and your parting message is, let's stop illicit trade of tobacco?

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I'll give you a chance to elaborate on that because it kind of strikes me the wrong way if your only takeaway after all this is the illicit trade of tobacco, which I understand to be in connection with the smuggling of tobacco. But when you now added the access of minors, then I understand where it's coming from. So maybe later you can elaborate on that because I'd like to hear more about that.

Let me recognize the presence of Sen. Tolentino, our former Chairperson of the Committee on Blue Ribbon. Sir, do you have any statements?

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So I'll call on now DFA, USec. Charles Jose, Office of the Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations. Are you the one speaking on behalf of DFA? Sorry, can I understand, either of you can answer. Ano ba, do you have co-heads, or are you the sole head, because I saw in one document, there's co-heads or what, how does it work?

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Usec. Jose, we had asked for your position papers to be submitted earlier. We did not get anything from your office. We have always had full cooperation from DFA because we have other issues, which the Blue Ribbon Secretariat is handling, and DFA has been very cooperative. Pero with this issue, ngayon ko lang naririnig yang statement niyo, so nagkakandarapa ako copying your statements so that I can make logical and cohesive... I can frame my thoughts to ask you questions.

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Well, if it's last night, then probably ngayong umaga pa lang, and I don't have anything. At least, it would have been nice if, at the very least, Sec. Guevara, at least I could follow and make notes. So ngayon, I will have you repeat some of your statements because I am not capable of, hindi ako natuto mag-stenography nung ako ay nag-aaral. So may I just request next time for all the