Sen. Estrada denies receiving ‘pork’ from Tuason

Ruby Tuason FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada vehemently denied on Friday receiving “pork” from Ruby Tuason, his co-accused in the plunder case filed at the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Contrary to the allegations against me, I never received any money from Mrs. Tuason, or Mrs. Napoles or any other person charged with plunder. Any statement to the contrary to is false,” Estrada said in a phone patch interview with reporters.

Napoles is Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the so-called P10 billion pork barrel scam.

Asked about Tuason’s reported claim that she was the one who personally handed the “pork” money to him, Estrada said: “There’s no truth to that. I deny that vehemently. Walang binibigay na pera si Mrs. Tuason.”

Although he described Tuason as a family friend, the senator reiterated that she was not in anyway connected with his office.

But the senator admitted that Tuason went to his office to bring snacks and follow up guarantee letters for the hospitalization for her brother.

Estrada also disclosed that Tuason had also recommended another brother, Raffy Chan, to work for him as a consultant.

Chan, he said, worked for him until December 2013.

The senator also confirmed that Tuason was among those who donated to his campaign in 2010.

“Yes she (Tuason) knows that,” Estrada said when asked about Tuason’s poll donation.

He said he could not exactly remember the amount that Tuason conrtibuted to
his campaign but estimated that it was around P2 million.

In October last year, Estrada said he phoned Tuason from the United States to ask how she was.

It was during that phone conversation that Tuason asked for financial assistance but the senator said he turned down the request.

Estrada assumed that the financial assistance would be used for her case and expenses while abroad.

“Having been at the receiving end of a relentless persecution against those allegedly involved in the PDAF controversy, I can only sympathize with Mrs. Tuason,” he said.

“What is being portrayed against me is far from truth,” the senator added.

He surmised that Tuason was probably under pressure so she decided to turn against him.

“She wants to save her skin at our expense,” said Estrada.

Because he said there was also no strong evidence to link him into the “pork” scam, Estrada said his accusers might have contacted Tuason to testify against him.

“(They contacted Mrs. Tuason to testify) just to save her neck siguro,  just to save her skin, just to save her properties,” he pointed out.

Estrada then appealed to Tuason to just tell the truth.

“The truth will set me free,” he added.

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