Santiago urges Estrada to name Tuason’s ‘client-senators’

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – It may help improve the credibility of Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada if he would identify  his colleagues, who have also been allegedly  approached and offered projects by “pork barrel” scam suspect-turned-whistleblower Ruby Tuason.

This was how Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Thursday prodded Estrada to name the other senators who might also had dealings with Tuason.

“Yes, because it places all of us under a cloud.  And it’s unfair to those who are not implicated,” Santiago said during a press conference at the Senate when asked if Estrada  should  identify his colleagues, who he said had been visited and offered
projects by  Tuason.

“And it also will prove that he’s in good faith when he makes statements like this, when he makes general statements and then backs them with specific details.  It will improve his credibility,” she added.

It was Santiago, who repeatedly asked Tuason during the last hearing of the blue ribbon committee if she had approached  other senators other than Estrada and Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile through his former chief of staff, Atty. Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, in connection with their “pork barrel” funds. Tuason denied approaching other senators.

But Estrada claimed Tuesday that it was Tuason herself, who told him about the other incumbent and former senators, whom she had supposedly offered projects.  The senator though refused to identify them.

Between Estrada and Tuason, Santiago said, she would tend to place her “presumption” on Estrada, pointing out the latter’s exposé about the alleged anomalous Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) funds.

“…Perhaps we should grant him the benefit of the doubt that there were other senators (who have been approached by Tuason). I’d really like to know who they are. In the first place,  I’m just curious by nature. Sino kaya itong mga ito…”

Unlike Estrada, Santiago said Tuason was expected to say only the things that would qualify her to be a state witness.

“So she (Tuason) can’t be expected to reveal all but only what she seems will make the government approve her application
for state witness so she can be acquitted in the complaint sheet to be filed in the Sandiganbayan,” she pointed out.

Estrada, Enrile, Reyes, and Tuason are all facing plunder charges at the office of the Ombudsman in connection with the pork scam.

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