De Lima: Give Cunanan benefit of the doubt

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday said she was giving Dennis Cunanan, pork barrel scam witness, the benefit of the doubt on whether or not he also accepted kickbacks.

De Lima said it is not easy to pass judgment on Cunanan since she will have to weigh things.

She said Cunanan’s testimony is important because it supposedly debunks the claims of lawmakers that they did not have a hand in choosing non-government organizations linked to detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Cunanan‎ is the director general of the Technology Resource Center, one of the implementing agencies allegedly involved in the misuse of Priority Development Assistance Fund.

During the hearing, senators questioned Cunanan’s involvement in the scam. They asked him if he received kickbacks, as well as about his background. Senator Grace Poe claimed there were inconsistencies in his affidavit. Whistleblower Benhur Luy also admitted he saw Cunanan carry a paper bag allegedly filled with “commission” money, which the TRC official denied.‎

But De Lima said all state witnesses had issues with credibility.

“The concept of a state witness is that he is not faultless. He is not totally clean. So that is not the primary consideration,” De Lima said in a mix of English and Filipino.

However, De Lima said she cannot guarantee that Cunanan was telling the whole truth.

“Who am I to make a guarantee? I have no direct knowledge…until the testimony is validated in the course of the trial,” she said.

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