MANILA, Philippines – Whistle-blower Benhur Luy was placed under “legislative witness protection program” after testifying at the Senate on Thursday on the P10 -billion “pork barrel” scam.
Before ending the five-hour hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, its chair, Senator Teofisto Guingona, announced that Luy would be placed by the chamber under its protection program.
TV grab from ANC shows key pork barrel scam witness Benhur Luy conferring with Justice Secretary Leila De Lima during a break in the Senate hearing on the scam Thursday.
“We’d like to announce that you’ve been placed under the legislative witness protection program. (So everything you say here) can’t be used against you,” Guingona said.
The hearing which started shortly before 11 a.m. ended at around 3:30pm.
Luy was presented to the committee by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on condition that the whistle-blower would refrain from naming those allegedly involved in the scam, masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles.
Luy is a relative and former employee of Napoles.