Emotional Cunanan denies getting ‘pork’ commissions

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Dennis Cunanan almost broke into tears while giving his statement to the Senate. KRISTINE SABILLO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – An emotional Dennis Cunanan repeatedly denied getting commissions from legislators’ pork barrel funds when he testified before the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday.

Cunanan was immediately confronted with questions by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero whether or not he had indeed received kickbacks as alleged by Benhur Luy, the principal whistleblower in the P10 billion pork barrel scam.

Luy claimed that Cunanan, who was then deputy director general of the Technology Resource Center (TRC), received commissions amounting to P960,000 from his boss, now detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the scam.

“You did not commit any crime?” Escudero asked Cunanan.

“Yes sir,” Cunanan answered.

Escudero then asked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who was also present at the hearing, why Cunanan was charged at the Office of the Ombudsman if he claimed to have not committed any wrong doing.

De Lima then pointed to Cunanan’s own admission in his affidavit that there were occasions that he had signed certain documents pertaining to the release of pork barrel funds of lawmakers coursed their the TRC.

Luy who was also present in the hearing, maintained that Cunanan received commissions from Napoles.

But Cunanan insisted that if indeed the allegation was true, he would not validate and blacklist certain organizations linked to Napoles, when he became head of the TRC.

“Ako pa ang magmamadaling magproseso…” Cunanan said.

But in his conscience, he said, it was very difficult to admit something that was not true.

It was at this point that Cunanan got emotional.