Lacson wants Santiago to go through lifestyle check

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former Senator Panfilo Lacson . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Rehabilitation czar Panfilo “Ping” Lacson wants a lifestyle check for his nemesis, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, now that her name has been dragged into the “pork barrel” scam.

“Now that the Benhur Luy list is out, the senate self-proclaimed anti-pork “crusader” must be quaking in her shoes while cracking her head thinking of some crazy pick-up lines to divert the issue from her P2.5M rebate aka kickback from her P10M allocation through a Napoles NGO (non-government organization),” Lacson said in a text message on Wednesday.

“Barely one day before Luy’s list came out, she was saying that the Luy’s list was more credible. Understandably, crooks often forget petty transactions since they would likely use the loot on less significant expenditures. They only remember the big ones that enter their fat bank accounts. A lifestyle check is in order,” he said.

Asked if he was referring to Santiago as the one who should be subjected to a lifestyle check, Lacson said: “Of course, sino pa nga ba? (Who else?).”

Lacson was reacting to the Philippine Daily Inquirer report about Luy’s alleged files or records of lawmakers and other government officials who had allegedly dealt with detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Luy used to work for Napoles before he exposed the “pork” scam.

Based on the report, Santiago allegedly allocated P5 million to Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte for financial assistance to coffee growers as shown in her letter dated September 5, 2005.

Incumbent Energy Regulatory Commission chair, Zenaida Ducut, also allegedly received “cash bonus from Senator Santiago’s P10M project DA saving .05 the amount of P100 thousand,” the report said.

“Full payment received charged from (Santiago) DA savings the amount P2.5 million under voucher 09-4779,” the report added, still citing Luy’s records.

Santiago has yet to react to the report.