‘Gigi Reyes’ return not a Palace project to nail Enrile in pork case’

Jessica “Gigi” Reyes INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang denied on Monday it had a hand in the return of Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, who has been charged with plunder in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the executive branch would not force Reyes to nail her former boss, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who has been accused of pocketing millions from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations.

“We don’t have a project that would make her talk or invite her to do anything not of her own initiative,” Coloma said in Filipino during a media briefing.

Quoting Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, he said there was no discussion between the Department of Justice and Reyes for her return.

Reyes flew to Manila from the United States on Black Saturday, saying she was “ready to faces the charges” leveled against her before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Coloma declined to assess how “valuable” Reyes’ testimony might be in prosecuting three senators implicated in the alleged pork barrel scam. Aside from Enrile, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. are also facing plunder charges.

“Giving an opinion on her testimony is already in the hands of the Office of the Ombudsman, which has the power and duty to do that,” Coloma said.

“The [executive branch] has done what had to be done when the Department of Justice included her name in the list of those who allegedly had something to do [with the pork barrel scam].”

During a Senate hearing last February, Ruby Tuason, former President Joseph Estrada’s social secretary, alleged that she had delivered pork barrel kickbacks to Jinggoy Estrada in 2004 and 2008.

But Tuason, who has also been accused of plunder, fell short of pinning down Enrile, saying she delivered kickbacks only to Reyes, the senator’s chief of staff then.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes later claimed that Tuason was trying to “protect” Enrile. He noted that Tuason’s lawyer, Dennis Manalo, was affiliated with the law firm identified with Enrile.

But Manalo earlier announced that he was not with the Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako law firm anymore.

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