[TRANSCRIPT] Ambush Interview of Atty. Filibon "Boni" Tacardon, Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Legal Counsel

PHILIPPINES, June 2 - Press Release
May 30, 2022

[TRANSCRIPT] Ambush Interview of Atty. Filibon "Boni" Tacardon, Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Legal Counsel
Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 256
30 May 2022

Question: Atty., what happened today? Continuation of cross exam, ano ang na-cover?

Atty. Filibon Tacardon: Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. Sa ngayong araw, natapos natin yung testimonya ni Joel Capones, sa direct, cross examination and redirect cross

examination. Sa aming cross examination, dalawang major points ang tingin namin na naipalabas namin kay Joel Capones.

Una is inamin niya sa kanyang cross examination na wala syang transaksyon at hindi nya kakilala si Senator De Lima at kung meron man siyang naging transaksyon, engaged sa illegal drug trade, ito ay kay Jaybee Sebastian lang. Ang masakit nga lang dyan, dahil wala na, namatay na si Jaybee Sebastian, wala nang makakapag-suporta sa sinasabi nyang transaksyon nya tungkol sa ilegal na droga.

Pangalawang punto na tingin namin na maganda ay yung tinanong sya--nung unang tinanong sya sa direct examination, ang sabi nya nakita nya na may inabot na pera daw si Jaybee Sebastian. Pero nung tinanong ulit namin yun nung cross examination, exact words na sinabi nya ay "anong pera"?

So, I would leave that to you kung anong ibig sabihin nyan.

Question: Sir, we're talking about the 1.4 million?

Tacardon: 1.5 million.

Question: So ang sinasabi niyo Sir, yung claim niya na nakita niya si Jaybee Sebastian na nag-abot ng pera kay De Lima is doubtful? And how significant is that?

Tacardon: In the meantime, ang sinasabi namin sa major point dahil malinaw naman yung tanong at naging kasagutan lang nya is "anong pera", so hindi natin alam paano iyon na-interpret ng Korte, yung bago na testimony ni Joel Capones.

Question: Hindi ba tinackle ito sa redirect?

Tacardon: Hindi na-tackle ng Prosecution. Hindi na rin naipaliwanag yung ibig sabihin nun. Ibang aspeto ng cross examination ang tinalakay at naging tahimik sila tungkol sa pera.

Question: Doon po ba sa cross exam, na-question din yung kanyang claim that he was personally dealing with drugs. Inamin nya?

Tacardon: Well, yes. Mahaba ang katanungan sa kanya tungkol dun at sa mga katanungan namin, inamin nya na sya ay involved sa drugs. Siya mismo nagbenta. Actually, sya lang ang so far sa mga inmates na nagtestigo na umamin na sya ay involved sa drug trade at alam daw nya yung consequence ng kanyang pag-amin. At hindi ko alam kung paano yun naka-apekto sa kanyang parole. Sabi nya hindi raw sya naka-linya sa parole ngayon.

Question: Sir, may iba pa bang witnesses? Pang-ilan na ba syang witness na pnresent sa bail hearing ngayon?

Tacardon: I think this is the sixth or seventh witness for the bail hearing so sabi ng Prosecution, meron pa silang dalawang testigo na ipe-presenta, si Herbert Colanggo at Jojo Baligad na present naman kanina, hindi lang naisalang.

Question: So how confident are you na mapapagbigyan yung bail motion ninyo?

Tacardon: Well, so far, we believe na wala pang matibay na ebidensya na naipapalabas ang Prosecution na magju-justify ng continued detention ni Senator De Lima habang dinidinig yung kaso na ito. So hintayin natin yung salaysay, yung magiging testimonya ni Herbert Colanggo at Jojo Baligad.

Si Herbert Colanggo, may sinasabi siyang nagbigay siya ng pera. Si Jojo Baligad wala naman kami natatandaan na sinabi niyang statement or sa kanyang mga salaysay na nagbigay siya ng pera kay Senator De Lima.

Question: Sir, sa part naman ng defense, ilang witnesses ipe-present niyo at sino yung pinakamatibay ninyong witness?

Tacardon: Well, this is a proceeding ng bail, so only the prosecution is being required by the court to present evidence only to present, to substantiate the accusations against the accused and to determine whether there is sufficient evidence, strong and sufficient evidence to justify her continued detention. So hindi na kami magpe-presenta ng ebidensya dito sa bail hearing na ito.

Question: May timeline po ba Sir kung kailan kayo matatapos?

Tacardon: Well, sa side ng defense we're hoping na mapabilis na natin, the fact na-limit na natin yung additional witness to two, siguro matatapos to within the next few months.

Question: Sir, recently si incoming Justice Secretary Boying Remulla said na kapag merong dalawa o tatlong witness na nag-recant, something is wrong and he is open to reinvestigate the case of Senator De Lima. Are you optimistic na magiging favor po sa client ninyo itong pronouncement ni Secretary Remulla?

Tacardon: Well, we welcome the statement of incoming Secretary of Justice Remulla, pero we still have to see the real action of the DOJ with respect to the recantation being made by important witnesses. But what's more important to say is that we actually brought these recantations now to the attention of the Court and we are hoping that the Court will remedy the situation.

Question: Sir, how about sa other case doon sa finile ninyo na manifestation na sinama ninyo yung recantation ni Ragos, may movement na ba dun?

Tacardon: So far, wala pa naman, nag-file pa kami ng motion at sa pagkakatanda ko, wala pa naman comment o reply ang Prosecution panel.

Question: Ano ang next setting Sir, kailan?

Tacardon: We have another setting on June 13 for the same case and June 27. And we have another setting on the other case on June 17 kung saan mag-tetestify si Ronnie Dayan. Continuation ng kaniyang cross-examination.