Ridon challenges Co’s ex-bodyguards to repeat allegations under oath
MANILA, Philippines — House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon on Saturday challenged the 18 former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co to appear before the Senate blue ribbon committee and repeat under oath their allegations that cash-filled luggage had been delivered to lawmakers and other personalities.
The challenge came days after the former Marine officers surfaced during a June 4 Senate hearing attended by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and other senators allied with Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, where they linked several lawmakers to the alleged cash deliveries.
Ridon said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday, June 8, to be chaired by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, would provide an opportunity to test the credibility of the allegations in a formal congressional proceeding.
“This is a challenge to the 18 former bodyguards. Let them appear at Monday’s Blue Ribbon Committee hearing chaired by Erwin Tulfo,” Ridon said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
“Let them repeat everything they said during the previous meeting,” added the chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts.
The House prosecutor stressed that the hearing would place the witnesses under oath and subject them to questioning.
“Because the meeting on Monday will be conducted with a full secretariat and under oath. This will be the actual hearing,” he said.
Ridon said appearing before the committee would allow lawmakers and the public to properly scrutinize the allegations and determine whether the witnesses were telling the truth.
“If they subject themselves to congressional scrutiny in an official proceeding like the one on Monday, then we can test whether their statements are credible and whether they are telling the truth,” he said.
He added that failure to appear would raise serious doubts about the veracity of their claims.
“If they do not show up, then it will be very clear that they have no credibility and that what they did during the previous meeting was nothing but lies,” Ridon said.
