Cunanan’s offer for lifestyle check welcomed with ‘caution’

Sen. Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe “cautiously” welcomed on Thursday Dennis Cunanan’s decision to voluntarily submit himself to a lifestyle check though she said opening his bank accounts was just a “piece of the puzzle” of an individual’s wealth.

It was Poe, who called on the Department of Justice to conduct a lifestyle check on Cunanan, former head of the Technology Resource Center, charged at the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the “pork barrel” scam.

Cunanan is now applying to be a state witness and is expected to appear at next week’s hearing in the Senate.

“I cautiously welcome his (Cunanan) voluntary submission to a lifestyle check by allowing his bank accounts to be examined,” Poe said in a text message.

But the neophyte senator said: “Bank accounts are only a piece of the puzzle on the wealth and assests of an individual. The people through us in the Senate should be able to see for themselves the extent of his complicity in the scam and his real motives for coming out.”

As a provisional state witness, Poe said, it would be Cunanan’s chance “to come clean without any criminal consequence.”

“It is better that we dispel all doubts about possible kickbacks so that the case submitted to the Sandiganbayan will be strong,” she said.

“Though there were doubts about the extent of Tuazon’s knowledge of the involvement of other senators, at least she admitted to accepting a commission for her involvement,” Poe said, referring to Ruby Tuason, also a respondent in the “pork barrel” cases but is also now applying to be a state witness.

Asked if she herself still has doubts on Cunanan’s credibility, the senator said, “I would like to hear his statement in the hearing so I can be objective about it. I am not out to discredit him. I just want to make sure we, the people, don’t get the raw end of the bargain. Sana nga totoo sya para matapos na ang kaso.”

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