Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — “Let’s train our guns on those caught pocketing funds and not those allocated with funds,” said Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, who admitted getting an additional P50 million after the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Trillanes was among those reported to have received the money from the government’s Disbursement Acceleration Program after Corona’s impeachment in May, 2012.
“We checked our records and we got additional P50 million allocation,” he said in a text message Wednesday.
“But we still maintain that every peso of all the funds entrusted to us is allocated properly. Ginugulo lang ang issue ng mga magnanakaw [The thieves are just confusing us],” he said.
Asked if it was true that the P50 million fund was an “incentive” to the senators who voted to impeach Corona, Trillanes said, “Definitely not. Our countrymen witnessed the impeachment trial and most would agree that Corona deserved to be kicked out.”
“There was no bribe or incentive needed to make that decision,” the senator added.
It was Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada during a privilege speech last week who claimed that those who voted to impeach Corona got P50 million each.
Estrada himself has been charged with plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of his priority development assistance funds (PDAF) known as “pork barrel” funds.
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