Senator Grace Poe listens intently to Cunanan’s answers. KRISTINE SABILLO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – Dennis Cunanan, director general on-leave of the Technology Resource Center (TRC), went under intense scrutiny by senators when he faced the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating the pork barrel scam on Thursday.
Senator Grace Poe started with Cunanan’s alleged inconsistencies with his statement issued in the media and his affidavit dated February 20, 2014.
Poe noted that in one press conference, Cunanan reportedly denied that he had met the alleged scam mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles, but in his affidavit, he admitted meeting the businesswoman at the TRC’s office sometime in 2006 or 2007.
In the affidavit also, Poe noted Cunanan’s failure to mention other instances of his meetings with Napoles.
But during the hearing, principal whistleblower Benhur Luy, who used to work with Napoles, claimed that Cunanan also went to their office where he supposedly received commissions from legislators’ pork barrel funds coursed through the TRC. Cunanan was the deputy director general of the TRC at that time.
“Why didn’t you say that you also met (Napoles) at the Discovery?” Poe asked in Filipino.
Cunanan said he did not mention this because there was no any allegation in his affidavit.
So when Poe pressed if it were true then that he went to Napoles’ office, Cunanan said he was trying to remember it but said “most likely, there’s a chance” that he indeed went to the office as part of their inspection of organizations receiving funds coursed through the TRC.
Asked again by Poe if he received the money that was allegedly given to him by Napoles, Cunanan said, “Your honor, hindi po.”
Poe also brought up the issue of Cunanan’s resignation from the Commission on Higher Education reportedly because his lack of education to qualify for the post.
Cunanan admitted that he did not finish his undergraduate course but said he took a month-long course on executive education at Harvard University in the US.
He said he was surprised too that he was accepted for the post but later on decided to end his two months stint there.
Poe was about to proceed to Cunanan’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth when Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago arrived in the hearing room. Santiago had long requested the committee that she be allowed specific time to question the witness, citing her health condition.
But before proceeding directly on the issue of the pork barrel funds, Santiago shared Poe’s observation about Cunanan’s complicated educational background.
“You’re a character,” Santiago said.
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