Revilla: Cunanan is a liar
Dennis Cunanan (Photo from www.dost.gov.ph), Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. (Inquirer file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. repeatedly called his accuser, former Technology Resource Center (TRC) chief Dennis Cunanan, a liar.
“That’s a lie. Sinungaling siya, sinugaling siya! (He’s a liar, he’s a liar!),” Revilla told reporters on Tuesday.
He was reacting to Cunanan’s claim that he had personally talked to him about the release of his pork barrel funds to alleged bogus organizations linked with detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.
Cunanan also alleged that Revilla had even admonished him on the phone for the delay of the release of the funds.
But Revilla said: “Never ko siyang tinawagan. Never ko siyang kilala at wala akong tinatawagan sa mga ganung bagay. (I never called him. I never knew him and I never called anyone about those things).”
“And it’s not my character na magalit. Ikaw makikiusap? Kung may gusto kang kausapin, hindi yung deputy director ang tatawagan mo, ang tatawagan mo yung head,” he said. Cunanan was not yet the TRC head when the alleged phone conversations took place.
(And it’s not my character to get mad. You are making a request? If you want to talk to somebody, you will not call the deputy director, you will call the head).
Revilla, citing an information he received, maintained that it was Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who “convinced” Cunanan to pin him down.
Asked what could be Roxas’ motive to implicate him in pork, the senator said: “This is 2016 for sure, 1000 percent.”
He then noted that all the attacks against him only started after his name was floated by his partymates as possible contender for president in 2016.
“Doon lahat nagsimula ito. Hindi pa naman ako nagdedeklara e . Hindi pa naman ako nagdedeklara, bakit naman bigla akong pinupog ng ganito katinding problema?” the senator lamented.
(That started all of these. But I haven’t declared yet. I haven’t declared yet, why do I have to face this kind of problem?)
Asked again if he had any plans in 2016, Revilla said, “Surprise!”
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