DE GUZMAN & MACATUBAL Sir, at what point did you realize that you had a passion for journalism?
LOPEZ. I discovered I had a passion for journalism when I was in high school when I became the editor of the high school paper, the Quezonian. It was the result of a competitive test and I topped the examinations and I felt very good about it because I bested our class valedictorian.

Q. And so, actually, it was your first choice for a career, journalism?
A. Well, my first choice for a career was actually law but my father told me that he could not afford to send me to college. Bahala na ako sa sarili ko after highschool. Fortunately, there was this city - wide examination for a 4 - year scholarship in journalism at the University of Santo Tomas. I participated and topped it and I became a full scholar for 4 years at the University of Sto. Tomas taking up journalism.

Q. Did you apply right after college for a job in a newspaper?
A. Well, actually, I eloped before I graduated and my professor, Jullie Yap - Daza, asked me whether I had a job. At that time, I had a job as managing editor of The Varsitarian, earning about P350 a month, and of course, that could not last because after graduation I had to leave the job so she told me to see two people - Greg Cendana of the National Media Production Center and Rod Reyes, the editor - in - chief of the Manila Chronicle. I went to the two people, Greg Cendana and Rod Reyes, on the same day and on the same day I was hired for two jobs - one as newswriter for the Voice of the Philippines, it's a 4 o 'clock in the morning to 2 o 'clock in the afternoon job and another as a correspondent of the Manila Chronicle, it's a 2 o 'clock to 6 o 'clock job. And I was, as a correspondent of the Manila Chronicle, I was covering a beat - areas North of Manila meaning Caloocan City, Quezon City including the city halls of Caloocan and Quezon City and also, at the same time, I was covering all the government offices in Quezon City since Quezon City was the National Government Center and most of the government offices were clustered in the area called Elliptical Road where now is the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, the Philippine Tobacco Administration, the Philippine Sugar Institute, the Philippine Coconut Institute, and I would visit these departments once a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, to collate information and possible stories and after, I'm off with my newswriting job at the Voice of the Philippines. I would cover these areas, sort of pound a beat, pound a beat meaning literally you step on the pavement of these places so, pound a beat. In the afternoon, I would report to work to the Manila Chronicle to do the writing. I would submit 4 stories everyday. I was very industrious because I was paid by the column inch - per front - cover page and 75 centavos for inside page stories. Then I discovered that the business section of the Manila Chronicle had plenty of pages, about 8 pages, and the reporters were not very diligent and industrious because they had grown smug in the job. Many of them are middle - aged reporters and they would be happy submitting one story everyday. I would submit to the business section three stories and one story to the front page. So, I was making a lot of money because I was filling up a lot of space in the business section, in the front page and in the metropolitan news page. After about a year, I joined the Manila Times. I was visiting a friend in the Manila Times in Florentino Torres St. and Alfie Locsin took notice of me and he asked me, "Do you want a job?" and I said, "How much, sir?" and he quoted a price, something like P1000, and it was three times my salary at the Voice of the Philippines and at the Manila Chronicle at least double or three times and when he quoted that amount I asked, "When do I start?" and he told me, "Start now" so, I asked for a typewriter and began typing my story. I submitted my story and I got a byline the following morning. That forced the Manila Chronicle to let me go but before I left the Chronicle, I talked to the editor, Rod Reyes. He later became the press secretary of President Estrada. He was a famous reporter because he got a TOYM award and a journalism award for investigative work into the drug syndicate by disguising himself as a, I think, a drug addict. He told me, at that time, he wanted to improve the Manila Chronicle which was already a very good, award - winning newspaper with the help of people like me but he had to let me go. In the Manila Times, my beats were the Central Bank, the Department of Trade in Makati, the Makati Business Area. These were major beats because they were very technical beats. You had to understand banking, finance, corporate finance, the goings - on in business. In Makati, I would start from one end of Ayala Avenue to the other end and by the end of the morning, by 12 o'clock, I would have taken about 8 cups of coffee kasi sa bawat pupuntahan mo na office pagkakapihin ka e siyempre magkakape ka because that gives you an excuse to interview the news source or the executive and dahan dahan ang pag - inom ng kape kasi hanggang hindi pa ubos yung kape mo, hindi ka pa puwedeng paalisin e. Diba hindi pa ubos yung kape mo? Ganon.

Q. Sir, ano pong year 'to?
A. 1970, I was newswriter for the Voice of the Philippines. At the same time, I was correspondent for the Manila Chronicle. By July of 1971, I had joined the Manila Times as a senior business reporter. Then in 1972, I was sent by my boss to my first ever foreign trip to Europe. I was very happy about it because it was my first time to travel because I had a frustrating experience in the Manila Chronicle. My first out of town trip to Bacolod to cover the Sugar Industry Plantation, nabangga yung taxi. Nasugatan ako at tinahi yung kamay ko at nabungi ako and I was hospitalized. E ito Europe tsaka jumbo jet pa and I was in the company of our senior editors - Pocholo Romualdez, the editor then of The Daily Express, Flora Zaide - Valencia, the society editor of the Evening News, very senior people. I was the youngest in that batch that was sent on sort of a junket and familiarization trip because the Philippine Airlines had opened a route to Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

Q. So, you were trying to get a story from Europe, was that it?
A. Basically, it was about aviation and the expansion plan of Philippine Airlines and we had to see for ourselves where Philippine Airlines was going by taking that route - Manila, Bangkok, Karachi, Frankfurt, Amsterdam. While In Europe, there was an unhappy event. Martial Law was declared so, when I came back to Manila, I had no job so, when I went to Manila Times to retrieve my personal belongings, I was met by this haughty sergeant, army sergeant. He stopped me from going to the Manila Times building and of course I did not know what Martial Law meant then and I challenged him, his right to stop me from going to my office and sabi niya, "Wala nang press - press ngayon, Martial Law na" and we had an altercation and he confiscated my press id and that symbolized, to me, the death of press freedom at that time. Then, for about a month, I had no job, I was put on sick - leave and vacation - leave pay by the Manila Times. Fortunately, I befriended a friend at the Asian Development Bank, Mr. Matsura, Toshitsogu Matsura, because one of my beats was the ADB which was at the North end of the Ayala Ave. then ang headquarters. Then he asked me, "Can you cover the death of a Japanese straggler?" "What is a straggler?" "Oh, a straggler is a soldier who came here during the war and stayed behind because they were carrying out a mission." Ang mission ko, locate the body of the dead straggler. Not only that, to take photographs of the dead body. So, I learned that the body would be sent to the Loyola Memorial Morgue in Guadalupe and the Japanese lent me his camera. At that time there was a curfew so, at ten o'clock everybody was trying to go home otherwise, you could play the piano. Sabi nila sa Inggles, magpi - piano ka kasi mag thu - thumbprint ka - 1, 2, 3. Magpi - piano ka sa Crame kasi hinuli ng…

Q. Pulis?
A. Fortunately, the doctor was very nice to me. He opened the refrigerator containing the body and it was a gory sight because his head had been cut off for autopsy. His body was opened up, cut up. I had to take pictures. The pictures were very bad because it was my first experience at photography but the story was very good and the Japanese newspaper, the Mainichi, was very happy about it. For about two months, we were looking for his companion, Shiro Onoda. This was a very important story for the Japanese because it showed the devotion of Japanese soldiers during the war that if they are ordered by their emperor, "This is your mission," they carry it out. They had what they called the code of bushido. At that time, Japanese soldiers were men of honor, were men of war. They had to achieve their mission in behalf of the emperor even if it meant dying for it. After two months, we found Shiro Onoda and I got a series of scoops. I got the bio data, the pictures of his hiding place in Mindoro, in Lubang Island and I was able to interview the doctor who conducted a medical examination on Onoda and the Japanese, the Mainichi, were very impressed with it and they sent me on my second trip, this time, to Japan with my wife.

Q. Sir, in what year was this?
A. It was 1974. In Japan, I was met by a limousine, a black limousine. This was the company car and I was greeted by the editor - in - chief in a formal dinner. It was my first recognition as a foreign correspondent. Naisip ko, maganda pala ang foreign correspondent kasi ang bayad dollar. At that time, the rate was $200 a day and we stayed in the Intercon for a couple of months. Free board and lodging, may dollar ka pa. At that time, the dollar was seven to one. Then after this, I was employed by the Times Journal as a business reporter and I had the same beat as I had when I was with Manila Times - Central Bank and the Makati business beat. I got promoted in 1977 as business editor. I became the youngest business editor of a daily newspaper. I was also the highest paid business editor of a major daily. There were only four major morning dailies at that time - Manila Times, Chronicle, Herald and the Bulletin. Then I had a column in the Times Journal three times a week, a business column, which was noticed by the Asiaweek editor, Mr. T.J.S. George, and he asked me to contribute to Asiaweek a business story once a week because a news weekly magazine, at that time, was a very small magazine and he was trying to give me, I think, 5 cents per word. E I was already the highest - paid business editor at that time. Sabi ko sa kanya, "I like the concept of the magazine. I'll just help you kasi the money you are trying to offer me is not even good enough for my coffee money." And then in 1978, they also asked me to do political reporting. At that time, there was going to be an election for the Batasang Pambansa and they liked it so I began my career at the Asiaweek news magazine. In 1982, I was hired as staff so I left my job at the Times Journal and became a full - fledged correspondent of the Asiaweek news magazine. At that time, it was acquired by the Reader's Digest company of New York. Then in 1985, Asiaweek was acquired by Time Warner Group also of New York and suddenly I was in the bigtime, in foreign journalism.

Q. So, let's go back to the early years. Can you tell us what exactly were these years?
A. Well, the earlier years were 1970. I was correspondent for the Manila Chronicle and newswriter for the Voice of the Philippines. In 1971, I joined the Manila Times and became the senior business reporter and for about two months, when my boss Alfie Locsin, the business editor, was operated on, I acted as the business editor and construction editor of the largest newspaper at that time.

Q. Sir, can you tell us about the physical location in those times?
A. My first job at the Chronicle, it was a small newspaper and it had an elegant but old office at the Aduana in the Intramuros across where the Manila Cathedral is now. After about a year, we transferred to the Manila Chronicle building in Pasig. It was the state - of - the - art newsprint newspaper plant. It had the latest in color separation technology, in printing technology. Ang linis linis ng Manila Chronicle 'non and you know the Lopezes, they also owned the Meralco and they were one of the oligarchs and they took pride in investing in the newspaper business. Also, at that time, they also had the ABS - CBN broadcasting network so they were really running a media empire and they invested good money in it and in that time, when Martial Law was declared, the Times Journal took over the facilities of the Manila Chronicle and we continued holding office there for several years.

Q. Sir, did you have a chance to see your publisher or your editors?
A. Well, we would see our publisher or our editors everyday because as business editor of the Times Journal, there was a daily meeting in the afternoon to decide on the stories of the day.

Q. Sir, can you please talk about the working conditions in those times like the deadlines, the hours, the holidays?
A. Well, deadlines were the religions of newspapers. We have to meet a deadline by hook or by crook. The rule was that you must submit a story by deadline even if you are sick or dying and even if you are going to die, you have to submit first and then die. Ganon ka - strict ang deadlines.

Q. Sir, what about holidays? Did you work on holidays?
A. Holidays, as business editors, we were classified as managers. We were not subject to overtime pay but we enjoyed a 15 - day holiday and 15 - day sick leave which can be converted to a vacation by using a doctor's certification so, they gave me a one - month vacation for every year of service.

Q. Sir, how about the salaries?
A. The salary, as I had said, I was the highest paid business editor at that time so, I had nothing to complain about.

Q. Sir, what difficulties did you encounter when you were just starting out as a journalist?
A. Well, when I was just starting out, when I was business reporter of the Manila Times, I remember, 1971, I was mauled inside the Securities and Exchange Commission one noontime because I had the habit of rifling through the papers of the section chiefs during lunchtime because that is the time that they leave their desks and they are unaware of their job so sasalisi ka and there were many things you could gather - mga pending projects, plans of companies. Ganyan. So, kokopyahin mo yan using longhand na inii - scribble - scribble lang and one afternoon, this guy, the messenger, I still remember his name, Roger Vanta, challenged me, "Who are you? Sino ka?" "Reporter ako ng Manila Times, bakit?" And then nagkasagutan kami and then the other lawyers joined in and nabugbog ako and since I was working for the Manila Times and of course the Manila Times are very protective of their people, front - page 'yon: "Manila Times Reporter Mauled at SEC" and there was even an editorial about the assault on press freedom kasi, at that time, before Martial Law, newspapers were a very strong institution. It was typically the fourth branch of government as distinguished from the executive, legislative and judiciary and we had a case that, I think, lasted for about four months and at that time we had a hearing, the sister company of Manila Times, ABC 5, would cover it. At that time, ABC 5 was one of the leading television stations, "The Big News." Yun lang ang main difficulty ko. At that time, wala pa namang traffic so, madali pa namang magpunta sa beat kahit na nagbu - bus lang ako and also, at that time, I was provided a car kasi parang, sort of, I was the star reporter. Susunduin ako sa bahay ko ng car na may driver. This was not a car in the true sense of the word na malaki tulad ng Accord or Corolla, Citroen, parang glamorized tricycle na Citroen. The closest to it was a Minika.

Q. So, you never became a "cub" reporter because you were an editor right away?
A. I never became a "cub" reporter kasi a "cub" reporter is someone who is accompanied to his beat by his senior reporter so that he could learn that road but I was a professional from the very start because I was managing editor and news editor of The Varsitarian and I was in charge of several reporters so I knew what to do right away.

Q. Sir, what was your first article about?
A. My first article as a correspondent was about the city hall of Caloocan going to issue bonds meaning borrow money to build a public market in Caloocan. Another article was about Vice Mayor Mel Mathay.

Q. Sir, you didn't have any problems when you published that article?
A. Wala naman akong ka - problem - problem nyan dahil nga I started the newsweekly of the Varsitarian so I knew what to write about.

Q. Sir, regarding your first beat, what were the important lessons you've learned from being on that beat?
A. My first beat, the business beat, it was a very technical beat. You have to understand many things about the economy - finance, money, stock market, corporations so, you had to do a lot of research and do a lot of reading.

Q. Sir, what was your first recognition?
A. I would consider the trip to Europe and the trip to Japan as recognition by my employers but my first major recognition was when I was already with Asiaweek. I got this TOYM award in 1985 for international journalism. I was the youngest in that batch and I also received the highest number of votes from the Board of Judges led by the Chief Justice then, Marcelo Fernan. In that batch was Miriam Defensor - Santiago, Gringo Honasan, Delfin Lazaro who became Secretary of Energy, Dong Puno who became Press Secretary, William Padolina who became Secretary of Science, Prospero Nograles who became a congressman. I was the only one who remained a newsman.

Q. Sir, among your editors who do you consider your mentors?
A. I was fortunate to have very good bosses or editors. In the Manila Times, it was Alfie Locsin. He taught me many things - how to condense the story, a business story that is very technical, into something easy to understand by the reader. And I also had a very good editor, Mr. Rey Naval, my business editor when I was a reporter at the Times Journal and at the Manila Chronicle. And at Asiaweek, Michael O'Neill, the Asiaweek founder, he was very supportive of me. He thought I was the best reporter in Asia. That's a very gratifying accolade because it inspired me to exert my best, to do my best.

Q. Sir, how were these editors when it came to accuracy, ethics, those things?
A. Well, they set very high standards for themselves and for their people. Accuracy need not be discussed because that was presumed. Ethics, of course I am with an international news magazine. The ethical standards were very strict, no conflicts of interest.

Q. Sir, can you tell us about any memorable colleagues?
A. Memorable colleagues - Rod Reyes, the editor of the Manila Chronicle. He was very kind, gentle. At the same time, he had passion for excellence. Everyday to him was a state of war which the newspaper must win in terms of quality of reporting, number of scoops, overall quality of the newspaper. I also had a very good business editor, Alfie Locsin. He was very hard on himself and he was always high - strung, laging nagmumura tsaka galit sa mundo. Wala na yung mga ganong journalists…

Q. Pero, mabait po sa inyo?
A. Oo, mabait sa iyo. He was very protective of me. Sabi niya, "Kung gusto mong murahin yan, murahin mo. I will back you up." Yan ang magagaling na editor. And also the late founder of Asiaweek, Mike O'Neill, bilib siya sa akin. He was always concerned with my safety, welfare, and also my family. He was very warm, gentle. Pero grabe 'pag magalit. Mao - ostracize ka. Parang gusto mong magtago sa kuweba 'pag magalit sa'yo. Ganon sila. I guess editors are of extreme personalities. At one one end, they are warm, gentle and kind. At the other extreme, they can be very harsh, demanding and difficult people.

Q. Sir, you've mentioned earlier your memories about the Martial Law. How about your memories during the EDSA Revolution and the coup attempts?
A. My memories about the Martial Law, there's something I must tell you. As Asiaweek correspondent, I had access to Ferdinand Marcos, the president, and during press conferences, I was the only one who could ask sensible and difficult questions. Somehow, he did not mind my insolence. At one time, there was a press conference and I stood up. The system at that time was that the Malacanang Press Corps, each member was given a piece of paper. That is the question you are going to ask and the President has prepared an answer for that question. Ako, I did not want to play the script so I would ask my own question. One time the question was, "Mr. President, is there a rice crisis? Because it seems to me that there is a short supply of rice." He fixed his barong like that and sabi niya, "Rice crisis? Have you ever been to the provinces? Did you check in the provinces?" Normally, you'd be intimidated by that manner of answer, 'no? But I stood my ground and said, "As a matter of fact, Sir," sabi ko, "I have just come from the provinces which is why I am asking this question." Ganyan. "Oh," sabi niya, natuwa siya, "In that case, I will refer you to Bong Tangco." Bong Tangco, the Agriculture Secretary. Alam mo si Bong bola - bola yan, sasagutin ka ng bola - bola. Ganon. That's how they would handle newspapers, with bad answers. And then during the Aquino assassination, I was the first journalist to get an interview with the President right after, I think, within 4 days of the assassination and so we sat down together in what is now the Office of the President, Rizal Room ngayon. Dilim! Mga bookcases made of narra. Siya lang mag - isa. "Mr. President," sabi kong ganyan. "Who killed Ninoy?" Sabi niya sa akin, "I'll tell you a secret." Ganyan naman ako. "Galman." "Why would Galman kill Ninoy?" Kasi yan ang military version, Galman killed Ninoy. Sabi naman niya, "I'll tell you a secret. Because Ninoy was screwing the wife of Galman," sabi. "Why would Ninoy screw the wife of Galman?" "Well, you know him," sabi niya. That's one thing about Marcos. Even when he was lying, you don't get na he was lying kasi yun bang natural na natural yung face and of course, he looked very presidential because kita mo he had the immunity of persona. Maliit lang siya - 5'7, tsaka wiry ang personality niya pero brilliant. My interviews with him were always memorable kasi it was a combination of lying, half - truths and truths. And of course, he served the longest as president so he had the most experience in government. Another time, when he was already in exile in Hawaii, I had 9 hours of interview sessions with him..

Q. Sa Hawaii po?
A. Oo, sa Hawaii. And one afternoon, we were seated together, he looked very sickly. "Mr. President, did you steal money from the government?" Ganon siya, "Oh, just how much can you steal from the government?" E 'di sagot naman ako, "then, why are you rich?" Sabi na naman niya, "I'll tell you a secret." Sabi niya, e di ganyan na naman ako, "I discovered the treasure of Yamashita." Mga ganyan o so nag - elaborate pa siya. The following morning, I interviewed the First Lady, si Imelda, so tinanong ko. Of course, with my training as a journalist, you check and verify your facts. Sabi ko sa kanya, "Mam, totoo ba, si Presidente, he discovered the treasure of Yamashita?" Sabi ni Mam, "He told you that?" Biglang tumayo, pumunta sa kuwarto ni Presidente. Palagay ko, nag - away sila. And in the afternoon, when the interview with the President was resumed, sabi sa 'kin ng Presidente Marcos, "Tony, bakit mo naman sinabi sa First Lady that I discovered the treasure of Yamashita?" "I'm sorry sir. You did not tell me that you did not tell the First Lady that you discovered the treasure of Yamashita." Mga ganyan, mga memorable experiences. Si Ninoy naman was another memorable character. He talked like a machine gun, ang bilis, but very clear and lucid tsaka logical tsaka he wrote like a machine gun. Naka - portable typewriter 'no? Nakaharap ako, so tina - type yung sagot sa question ko para hindi na daw ako mahirapan tapos gumawa pa siya ng mga poem, di - nedicate sakin. Ganon sila, mabola. Tapos nakakuha ng isang pocketbook, di - nedicate din sa'kin. Mga ganon! Yung maraming tao sa labas pasok kayo sa kuwarto niya, 'no? Asikaso ka niya talaga. Yan ang mga personality…

Q. Si Ninoy po?
A. Oo, si Ninoy. Tsaka very effusive tsaka enthusiastic, very warm. Hindi mo alam na papatayin na siya the following day, mga ganon e.

Q. Ano po yung pro - administration or anti - administration newspapers nung Martial Law? Or were there newspapers at all?
A. Well, the newspapers during Martial Law were pro - adminstration because they were published by the friends of the President and by people sympathetic to the President - Bulletin by Hans Menzi, Times Journal by Kokoy Romualdez, the brother - in - law, the Daily Express published by Roberto Benedicto, a crony of Ferdinand Marcos…

Q. The Evening Post? Yung kay Kerima Polotan?
A. The Evening Post, oo. They had a policy then, what they would call "tokenism." "Tokenism." Ayan, yung mga once in a while, they would allow criticism to give semblance of...

Q. Kunwari may press freedom po?
A. Oo, yun. "Tokenism." So, yun, si Joe Burgos pumasok sa territory ng "tokenism" para pag tinatanong si Marcos, "Sir, you have no press freedom?" Gaganunin ka ni Marcos, "Have you ever read Malaya? That's the most libelous newspaper in town!" Ganon yung gimik e, gimik ni Makoy.

Q. Sir, how about during the post Martial Law period? Were there any memorable experiences?
A. Post Martial Law, of course. The most memorable was the EDSA Revolution, 'no? People Power. Sabi nila, 1 million daw, one million people went to EDSA to overthrow Marcos. That's a lie!

Q. Maliit po ba yung one million?
A. Kasi I covered EDSA e. It began on Saturday evening. I was in Cebu. I was looking for a guitar kasi yung asawa ko nagbilin ng guitar. Sabi nila, "Pumunta ka sa may airport, nandon ang magagandang guitar tsaka mura pa." Well, near the airport, nadinig ko nag - coup d'etat na si Enrile atsaka Ramos so I took the last flight out of Cebu, mga nine o 'clock flight so nakarating kami dito siguro mga ten o'clock. Pagdating sa airport, kumuha kami ng taxi nung kasama ko si Boy del Mundo, UPI. Pumunta kami sa Camp Aguinaldo. Takang - taka kami, may coup d'etat, nire - recognize pa rin yung press e samantalang yung press card ko sa Manila Times nung Martial Law, 1972, ki - nonfiscate ng sergeant, e ba dito, welcome pa kami. Basta daw foreign press. Di nakita naman namin si Enrile, nag - press conference. I was the one who made Enrile admit that he cheated. Did you know that? Sabi niya, Marcos is not the legitimate president because he cheated. "Did you cheat?" "Yes," sabi niya. Sabi ko, "By how many votes did you cheat?" Sabi ko. Una ayaw niya sagutin tapos sabi niya, "By three hundred thousand votes." Tapos, that night, we stayed in the camp. Siguro mga 4 or 5 times gigisingin kami ni Gringo, "They're going to bomb us! They're going to bomb us!" Kumuha ako ng long bench dun sa ground floor tapos sabi ko, "Kung gising ka mabobomba ka di patay ka rin. Kung tulog ka mabobomba ka, patay ka pa rin. Di mabuti pa tulog ka na, diba?" So, natutulog na lang ako tapos nagising ako alas dose ng gabi, nawala yung mga tao. Yung People Power kasi nung mga bandang mga ten o'clock, ang gulo gulo. Nagpapadala ng Jollibee, itlog, pandesal, monay, bigas, mga ganon 'no? Fried chicken. Nung hatinggabi na, napagod yung mga tao. Nawala. Tapos hinanap ko yung taxi driver namin pinauwi ko na kasi mamaya magkabombahan kawawa naman yon, diba? Tapos, nung lumabas ako sa camp, walang tao. Did you know that People Power was won by a lie? Sunday night 'no? Siguro nine o'clock. May lumapit na Radio Veritas reporter kay Fidel Ramos. Nandun kami sa Camp Crame. E dun sa office niya meron dong isang kuwarto, bombproof kasi metal yung bubong. Sabi sakin ni Enrile, "Umuwi ka na," sabi niya. "Bakit, sir?" "Umuwi ka na kasi konti lang yung kasya dito e," sabi niya. Sunday to Sunday evening, ako naman, ayaw ko umuwi. Nadinig ko sabi nung Radio Veritas kay Ramos, "Sir, ito na lang ho ang line natin na libre." Nakita ko yung number, starts with number 6. Number 6, yun yung serial no. of Sta. Mesa Radios, Sta. Mesa Telephones. Naisip ko, nandon yun sa Jacinto Building. Alam ko, kung salbahe ako, ni - report ko yan kay Marcos, nabomba sana yung Jacinto Building. Wala nang Radio Bandido. Tapos, the following day, napakinggan ko sa radyo, 7 o'clock, i - nanounce ni June Keithley, umalis na yung mga Marcoses. Yun pala yung telephone line na yun yung linilbre nila. Somebody slipped a piece of paper to June Keithley to announce that the Marcoses had left. So, nadinig ng mga tao, nagpuntahan sa EDSA to celebrate. Yun ang became known as People Power. So, People Power was won by a lie.

Q. So, hindi po nila naintindihan talaga kung ano na po yung nangyayari?
A. Oo, oo. Kasi kung alam nilang magbobombahan hindi naman sila tatakbo don e. Umalis si Marcos, Martes na ng hapon e. Oo, after his oathtaking. Kasi nung gabi ng Lunes, nagwa - warning pa siya, yung mag - aarrest sa Martial Law kasi curfew, arrest sa curfew. E may sumisingit pang bata don sa telephone, "Hello? Hello? Sino 'to?" Yung bata. Linya ng presidente, ang gulo. Ibigsabihin non, loss of communication lines.

Q. Paano po yun, nung Aquino administration po, talagang total press freedom as compared to nung Marcos administration? Or was there also suppression?
A. Nung Martial Law ni Marcos, kasi lifted in 1971, he had decree - making powers so he still was a dictator. He could legislate by himself, 'no? There was freedom among the foreign press kasi hindi niya ma - control yung foreign press pero initially, during martial law, I was filing my stories to Hong Kong through UPI, we had a transmission arrangement, a copy of the story. Merong parang military martial sa bawat newspaper organization that existed for about two years nung Martial Law. Tapos nagkaroon ng Media Advisory Council. Pero basically, the foreign press had exercised freedom unlike the local press. The problem at that time, during Martial Law, if you are a reporter of one newspaper and you are fired, the three other newspapers will not employ you.

Q. Parang blacklisted na po?
A. Oo, so, what I did, I was business editor, 'no? Times Journal. Hindi naintindihan pala ng military ang business story so more or less, we exercised some freedom. Binabantayan lang nila yung page 1. Kasi yung page one, tuwing gabi, yung first edition ng newspaper ihahatid sa Malacanang.

Q. Para makita po?
A. Oo, binabasa ng Presidente tsaka tuwing hapon, mga 4 o'clock, dini - dictate ng Malacanang ang headline. Kailangan no'n, ang lahat ng headline "FM" o kaya "Marcos" - "Marcos orders," "Marcos says," "Marcos denies," "Marcos affirms," kailangan lahat Marcos ang headline. Wala nang ibang bida. Ganon. E ngayon, contrast. Puwede maging bida, Chavit Singson - "Chavit Singson accuses Erap," "Atong Ang…," mga ganon. Masbida pa sila. Kung Martial Law yan, dapat "Erap denies," "Erap charges." Mga ganyan. "Erap orders arrest of Chavit Singson." "Chavit Singson…" Ganon ang contrast. Ngayon, maski sino lang. Kahit si Father Roberto Reyes, running priest, masbida pa kaysa kay Bigote, mga ganon, 'no? Si Father Robert Reyes, may ahas, page - one item, diba? Samantalang si Erap, nag - order ng coco levy reform, hindi na…

Q. Hindi naman na - page - one?
A. Mas importante pa yung ahas ni Father Robert Reyes kasi nung nagmimisa witness yung ahas. Parang ganun e. Ganon ang mga contrast…. Si Cory Aquino, ang punctual niyan! Halimbawa humihingi ako ng interview, "Mam, pahingi naman ng interview." Sasabihin niya sa 'kin, "Kailan bang birthday mo?" Sabi niya sa 'kin. "November 25, Mam." "Ganito na lang. Pupunta ako sa birthday mo, huwag ka na lang humingi ng interview. Sabi ko naman, "Mam, hindi ho ako nagce - celebrate ng birthday kaya bigay mo na lang yung interview." Binigay ang interview, ten minutes! So, ten minutes before 9, nandon na 'ko. 5 minutes to 9, nagi - interview na 'ko! Di konti pa lang, so nagpe - prepare pa lang ako, mga ten questions. Nakaka - four questions na 'ko e naubos ko na yung ten minutes ko so, gaganyan - ganyan yung si Ambassador Rubio, yung kanyang appointment secretary. Gaganyan - ganyan na siya, 'di ko siya pinapansin pero yung Presidente tingin ng tingin kay Rubio! So, maaasiwa ka na.

Q. Parang nakakawalang gana na pong mag - interview?
A. Oo, oo. E usually yung first question, "How are you now?" Diba, yung mga innocuous na…

Q. Icebreaker po?
A. Oo, yung mga innocuous questions na nothing about the affairs of the nation, diba? "How are you now?" "Well, I did not realize the job is very difficult." Mga ganon. Yun yung mga stroke ng presidente. Tsaka yan, princess. Tesorera ng hacienda. Treasurer of Hacienda Luisita. Oo, 6,000 hectares the second largest contiguous piece of land in the Philippines. Alam mo ba ang largest? Yung Yulo, 12,000 hectares. Ito, second largest, 6,000 hectares. Saan ka nakakita ng ganyang pamilya ang pag - aari dito, 6,000 hectares, magkakadikit sa isang lugar? Alam mo ba't yumaman dito ang mga ganon sa Pilipinas? Kasi ang bibilis ng kabayo nila.

Q. Ano pong ibigsabihin no'n?
A. Nang panahon ng Kastila, kapag alila ka ng pari, sasabihin sa'yo nung maysakit na pari , "Iho, malapit na akong panawan ng buhay. Bukas ng umaga, ilabas mo ang kabayo mo at kung saan ka makarating yun ang pag - aari mo." Ganon, kaya sila Ayala, ang bilis ngkabayo niyan. Si Tuazon, ang bilis ng kabayo niyan. Si Legarda, ang bilis ng kabayo niyan. Ang bibilis ng kabayo niyan, kung isasali sa Olympics yan, matagal sana tayong may gold e. Ang lalaki ng lupa nila, by the hectares ang bilangan Hindi lang by the hectares, daan - daan. Hindi lang daan - daan, libo libo, diba? Ayan ang tinatawag na "rent - seeking society." Kung gusto mong magpunta sa Europa, e sasabihin ng mga pa Espa - Espanol, "Okay, sallar sallar the lupa!" Ganyan. Sallar the lupa, ibenta yung lupa para may pamasahe. Ganon yung stroke nila,diba? Hindi naman sila mga people of leisure, ganyan. Tatawagin nila yung kanilang alila, "Boogie, ven aqui, ven aqui, timplar timplar café!" Dadalhin yan sa silver, naka - uniform tapos nanginginig ng ganon 'yon kasi parang anak ng Diyos' yon e, diba?

Q. Sir, ano pa pong other significant events ang na - cover ninyo aside from yung Martial Law, EDSA Revolution, coup attempts?
A. Meron, ang na - cover ko na, seven coup attempts, one revolution, apat na recession - recession ni Marcos, recession ni Cory, recession ni Ramos, tsaka recession ni Erap. Recession is two consecutive quarters of economic decline. Si Marcos no'n, 1984, walang dollar ang Pilipinas. The Philippines could not do business with the world kasi you could not open letters of credit, you cannot bring in raw materials, interest rates went up to 44%. Kung ikaw yung negosyante, magnenegosyo ka pa ba kung yung interest rateup to 44 %? Di ilagay mo na lang sa bangko yung pera mo, kikita ng 44% tapos pakuya - kuyakoy ka pa. Yan yung mga "rent - seeking society." Kaya sila yumaman maski naghihirap yung taong - bayan. Kay Cory, dahil sa dami ng coup d'etat, zero growth by the time she left office, zero growth yung economy. Si Ramos naman, because of the Asian financial crisis, by the time he left the office, zero growth ang economy. Si Erap naman, because of these jueteng game, magiging zero growth ang economy next year.

Q. Dahil po dun sa scandal?
A. Oo, kamukha niyan apat na major recession.

Q. Sir, mag - proceed na po tayo sa final question. Do you think that, right now, the newspaper is considered as a dying media in the face of the advancements in television and radio?
A. Tsaka Internet? On the contrary, as long as people have a passion for reading, newspapers will be here with us forever. Kasi you need the written word e. In fact, si Moses nga the Ten Commandments had to be etched on stone e. That is the first written word. Basically, the Law of God had to be written para maintindihan ng taong - bayan. So, history has to be written so the present generation and the future generations can understand it and they will have a link to the past. And so they can plan for the future.