Never explain — your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway. — Elbert Hubbard
Is Rico Puno a bad guy or is he a victim of politicking? Who really is former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Rico Puno, now the country’s No. 1 newsmaker, who is now under a barrage of attacks but is also being defended by Kris Aquino, Senator Chiz Escudero, Philippine Star columnist Billy Esposo and by his best friend, President Noynoy C. Aquino?
Is he a bad guy as alleged by critics who accuse him of an attempted break-in on Aug. 19 at the Quezon City condominium unit of then still-missing DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo one day after the latter’s plane crash? Or is Puno a victim of demonization through “trial by publicity,” which his friends say is due to a political clique seeking to consolidate power and that this Crisis was aggravated by biased anti-P-Noy forces seeking to undermine the President?
On Sept. 11, when Puno resigned as DILG undersecretary, I had a two-hour interview with him. Just before Puno arrived, his nephew Atty. Marco Puno Santiago said: “The time ABS-CBN 2 came out on Sept. 7 with its claim on the alleged ‘raid’ on Robredo’s condo, it happened 18 days after the August 18 ‘raid,’ so for me the timing was very suspicious.”
Puno is 56 years old, from Barangay Mapalad in Tarlac, Tarlac. He graduated from Lourdes High School in Quezon City and has an agribusiness degree from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños. He is a target shooting aficionado and guns expert who used to help train the Presidential Security Group (PSG) in the mid-1980s.
Excerpts from our no-holds-barred interview:
Philippine Star: How does it feel to be more famous than your namesake the singer?
RICO PUNO: (Laughs) Si Rico Puno? I am the original Rico Puno. That relative of mine, Rico J., is actually Enrico de Jesus Puno, but my real full name is Rico Puno.
So you’re really related to the singer? What about the former TV host Dong Puno or the former Chief Justice Reynato Puno?
All the Punos are related, that was what Dong’s father former Justice Minister Ricardo Puno explained during past reunions. He said the Puno family started in Guagua, Pampanga when nearby Bacolor was then capital of the Philippines. Guagua was then one of the major ports. The Pampanga River exits to Bataan. We’re all fisher folk from Hermosa, Bataan, while Chief Justice Puno is from the nearby town of Orani, Bataan.
You are now the most nationally famous of all the Punos.
Not really, I’m the most maligned.
Your reactions to all these attacks against you in recent weeks?
My mother Soledad Escalona Puno is now 81 years old and before all this, I had prepared her, my wife, children and siblings. When the plane crashed, I already prepared myself. I knew there would be controversies because there were some forces who wanted my position.
Why and how did you sense that your critics would create these controversies?
I could see signs from the body language (of certain people). My suspicions were right, they fabricated lies, but I just waited and then came the pronouncement from the President. I am grateful for the confidence of the President.
The reason I kept silent against the unfair attacks in some media is because when you handle security matters, you don’t broadcast what you’re doing because a lot of people will be compromised. They kept lambasting me. They claimed we “raided” and “ransacked” the condominium unit of Secretary Robredo — but those are all lies. The President on Aug. 18 called and instructed me to secure the offices of Secretary Robredo.
Your nephews tell me that your family members are stressed by these attacks, but that you’re the only one still smiling?
I am not angry, because these accusations are not true… Dapat mag-ingat sila, oo nga suwerte sila (They should be careful; yes, they’re lucky) I’m a person who is not easily angered. Baka meron silang makasalubong na mga tao na mas violente than me (They might encounter people who are more violent than me).
So it’s true you’re not too stressed out by all these attacks?
To those who keep attacking unfairly, malakas ang control ko (I have strong control), I don’t usually react. Pero hindi rin ako mabait na tao always (But I am not always a meek person), if you throw stones at me, sometimes I will shoot you.
What is your reaction to reports that said you allegedly tried to raid or break into Robredo’s condo unit, and afterwards President Aquino came out to say “in fairness to Usec. Puno… I instructed him to seal the office of Secretary Robredo to ensure that all of these records will be left intact”?
There are malicious people who think and say bad things, but I know the truth. Look, after the President said those words, nagbaligtaran na sila (they started to reverse themselves). If you’re a reporter, you should only deal with facts… They say I am bad copy (for media), because I do not react. But if I were a politico, lalaban ako (I’d fight back), but I’m not a politician.
Your opinion of Mar Roxas becoming the new DILG secretary?
He was appointed by the President. We respect the President and I hope that he will do more than Robredo, because he has the full backing of the President. I wish him well.
Is there truth to reports claiming the late Secretary Robredo was investigating you?
I do not really know if Secretary Robredo was investigating me. If meron, ok iyan (If there are, it’s okay), it should come out. They claim there are documents, but I have yet to see them.
Critics say there were anomalies in your buying of guns for the police?
If there was any anomaly, at which stage of the bidding process? We strictly followed the procurement law.
Ex-Senator Ernesto Maceda’s STAR column questioned your approval of a gun deal on the day Mar Roxas was appointed to the DILG as a “midnight action.” Your comments?
He must have been referring to the Glock pistols. It was approved properly. There was a timeline, we approved that purchase according to the procurement law. It wouldn’t have been approved without the proper process. We didn’t know there would be a plane crash or that a new DILG secretary would be appointed; that approval was according to a regular schedule.
Have you heard some claims that there was foul play behind Robredo’s plane crash?
You can see how malicious some people can be.
Did you and Robredo disagree. I heard you didn’t get along before?
It’s not hindi kami magkasundo (we couldn’t get along), I was just appointed ahead of him. Secretary Robredo was appointed one month after me, then the Hong Kong hostage incident happened. We were both just testing the waters on how we could work together, then we were tested by that tragedy.
When did you and Robredo become okay?
When the President told us: “You should work together.” Then I kept on sending him reports.
Former Archbishop Oscar Cruz has accused you of being an illegal gambling or jueteng protector, but one of your nephews said he was present two years ago at a congressional hearing Where Archbishop Cruz admitted he had no evidence against you except for reports from the ground. Are you or are you not involved in jueteng?
Yun na nga (That’s it), I know it is not allowed in the Catholic Church for people to tell a lie, especially if one is an archbishop. Two years ago, we were together at the morning show Umagang Kay Ganda and Cruz said on TV: “You’re not involved in jueteng.” But the next day, he said kasali daw ako (that I was allegedly involved).
Your critics claim you have not really exerted efforts to stop jueteng as your top priority?
Jueteng, yes, that’s part of my job, but I’ve prioritized other criminal groups. There was an order for us to prioritize anti-drugs, anti-kidnapping, fighting robberies and hold-ups, etc. There’s also the need to reform the procurement process of the PNP.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said the yearly collections from the illegal gambling of jueteng total P30 billion, can you confirm this?
I don’t know. It’s just like the way some are giving unverified data, such as that claim on how many loose firearms there are. They say 600,000 plus down to the last digit, but those are loose firearms nga, how can they be so sure up to the very last digit? If they really have the data on yearly jueteng collections, then they know who the operators are and other details, but claims should be based on facts.
Your thoughts on the idea to just legalize, regulate and tax this age-old system of jueteng, similar to other forms of gambling like those by PAGCOR and other casinos?
That’s exactly what I was asking before, if it’s okay to legalize jueteng, since it’s a victimless crime anyway. Everybody is a willing victim. Look at the situation in lotto, has anyone made complaints for losing big in their lotto bets? They’re willing victims.
In 2010, I had suggested legalizing jueteng. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) had planned a lotteria ng bayan, it’s still on the table. Hopefully it can be legalized, then the local governments and the police can share percentages of the take, and walang dayaan (no cheating).
Has this controversy — which your relatives tell me is “unfair trial by publicity” — affected your friendship with the President?
Now that I’ve resigned, ngayon mas madalas kami magkita (nowadays we get to see each other more often).
Is it true you’re the No. 1 best friend of President Noynoy?
Hindi naman (Not really), he has many friends.
What about his hobbies, how does the President really relax?
He likes to read, and listen to music.
His favorite books?
He reads many books, medyo (somewhat more on) action, thrillers.
Boo Chanco asked in his STAR column if you know his secrets daw?
Wala, basta kami (None, it’s just we), we enjoy the sport of shooting. We also enjoy good music and good food. He has a music collection, and he’d call us to listen.
What foods does the President like? Favorite restos?
He likes Chinese food and steaks. Meron kaming kinakainan (We used to frequent) na President restaurant in Binondo, he knows the people there from the cook to the owner.
How long have you known Noynoy? When and how did you first meet?
Since 1986, when I started training the Presidential Security Group (PSG). Then after the term of President Cory, we both went back to Tarlac. He helped manage his family’s hacienda, while I went to my own farm in Tarlac, Tarlac.
Is it true what Senator Ping Lacson told me, Noynoy is exceoptionally good at shooting?
Yes, I can confirm that, napakagaling ni Presidente sa shooting (the President is really very good at shooting).
How good? Can you give details for a non-expert like me?
He can shoot really fast from the draw, and can engage multiple targets in just a few seconds. Praktisado siya (He is well-practiced). He’ll joke: get ready, because I have a new teammate. His favorite is the nine-millimeter pistol.
What about your favorites?
I wanted a heavier firearm, it’s either a .45 or 10-mm .pistol, also a Glock, or an old 1911 design. Also the old .45 pistol.
Any examples of what kind of a friend Noy is?
When my father died on April 4, 2009, the President was then a senator. I texted him that afternoon: “My father passed away.” He texted back asking where I was, I replied that we were at the ICU of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. In less than 15 minutes, he was already there at the ICU. Then sinamahan niya ako (he accompanied me) to the funeral parlor. He was there. He never left my side and he helped and supervised all the way up to 6 a.m. in the morning. He never left until I said I would leave. Ganyan siya makisama sa mga friends niya (That’s how good he is to his friends).
Is it true the President became interested in guns and target shooting after Gringo Honasan’s 1989 military coup or due to the many coups during his mom’s term?
His father the late Senator Ninoy Aquino also had a passion for guns. Even before the 1989 coup, he already liked shooting.
With your expertise in shooting, why didn’t you and Noynoy compete in past Olympic Games or the Asian Games?
We joined competitions together, but we’re into practical shooting which is a non-Olympic sport.
Your comment on Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago questioning your “academic excellence and professional excellence”?
Hindi ko alam sa kanya (I don’t know about her) what she’s talking about, but I have my experiences, also my personal knowledge of people. My work is better than any academic credentials, and I want to add, what is the use of academic excellence kung hindi naman nagagamit sa tama (if it is not used in the right way)?
Does being a gun expert make you braver?
If you have a gun, it makes you more cautious.
Are you really supposedly “untouchable”?
Yun ang sinasabi nila (That’s what they keep on claiming), but in this job, we serve at the pleasure of the President.
As a boy, was it ever your ambition to be in government or to be involved in politics?
No, as a kid I just wanted to catch frogs in the farm. It has always been my dream to be a farmer, to enjoy simple living.
* * *
Thanks for all your letters! Email willsoonflourish@gmail.com or follow WilsonLeeFlores on Twitter.com, or in Facebook.