Estrada denies receiving commissions from Napoles

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Wednesday denied personally receiving any commissions from suspected “pork barrel” scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

This was contrary to Napoles’ claim in her unsigned draft affidavit that she went to Estrada’s office in San Juan sometime in 2009 to meet him and delivered his P13,337,500 commissions from her.

“Pumunta sya para sa isang party. Remember that picture na kinunan kasama si Senator (Ramon “Bong”) Revilla..? That was a party,” Estrada told reporters when sought for comment.

(She went for a party. Remember that picture with Senator Revilla? That was a party)

He said the office Napoles was referring to in her draft affidavit was his headquarters when he was running for mayor in San Juan.

Asked then if he met Napoles during that party, Estrada said: “It’s a party.. Mga ibang senador nandun din e (Some senators were also there).”

Napoles claimed to have also personally handed commissions to Revilla sometime in October 2009 but the senator has yet to comment on her claim.

Both Estrada and Revilla, along with Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile and several other personalities, are facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.