Stick to story, senator tells latest whistle-blower

Ruby Tuason.  INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—When she testifies on the P10-billion pork barrel scam on Thursday at the resumption of the Senate probe, Ruby Chan Tuason should stick to her story, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said on Sunday.

Pimentel said the Office of the Ombudsman’s ongoing preliminary investigation of the plunder complaint against three senators and members of the House of Representatives over the scam was not a hindrance to Tuason’s testimony before the Senate blue ribbon committee.

After all, he said, the Department of Justice (DOJ), through the National Bureau of Investigation, has already filed the complaint in the Office of the Ombudsman.

“She should be careful not to change her story. No. 1, the whole country will be listening, and No. 2, this is being recorded by the Senate. She should be consistent with the written affidavit that she has submitted,” the senator, a blue ribbon committee member, said over radio dzBB.

Tuason returned to the country late last week, agreeing to squeal on Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada in the alleged scam involving their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations.

Malacañang said the door was still open for the likes of Tuason, who might be willing to spill the beans in connection with the pork barrel scam.

But the Palace did not say directly if it was in favor of allowing Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the P10-billion racket, to turn state witness.

Asked about that possibility, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said: “If there are others who want to present additional information that would help connect or corroborate the previous statements of whistle-blowers, the DOJ will accept and evaluate the information that they would offer.”

“The DOJ would determine if there is enough basis to consider them to join the Witness Protection Program or become state witness,” he said.

As soon as she flew in on Friday morning from the United States, the Senate committee invited Tuason to its hearing on Thursday. That early, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago reserved the right to pose the first question.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has cleared Tuason’s appearance in the hearing, which was supposed to shift to the alleged misuse of the Malampaya Fund from the pork scam.

While they had inhibited themselves from the hearing, Estrada and Enrile have the right to appear and rebut Tuason’s charges, Pimentel said. “If they change their minds, they’re welcome,” he said.

Tuason has confessed to being Napoles’ bagman and to delivering kickbacks from the racket to Estrada and Enrile.

Tuason said she delivered bags containing millions of pesos to Estrada’s office in the Senate. On the other hand, Enrile’s former chief of staff, Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, allegedly received the money for the senator in restaurants and in her house.

Originally posted: 8:37 pm | Sunday, February 9th, 2014

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