Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. POOL PHOTO (file)
MANILA, Philippines – Detained pork barrel scam suspect Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada questioned Monday the credibility of Benhur Luy after the whistleblower admitted he forged signatures.
In an interview after his bail hearing for plunder at the Sandiganbayan, Estrada said Luy even seemed relaxed as he testified that he forged signatures of local government officials, as well as that of Estrada’s deputy chief of staff Pauline Labayen, who had fled her plunder charges over the scam.
“He admitted in open court that he falsified several signatures without even showing any remorse,” Estrada said.
“Relaxed na relaxed lang sya na, ito pineke ko, itong pangalan na ito … ay finorge ko, finalsify ko yung mga pirma. Hindi man lang nagpakita ng pagsisisi sa mga ginawa nyang krimen,” Estrada said.
The senator said Luy’s admission puts into question the latter’s credibility as the principal whistleblower in the scam.
“Of course it will affect his credibility, wala na siyang credibility by admitting and by forging signatures of certain personalities,” Estrada said.
Estrada’s lawyer Alexis Suarez added that Luy’s testimony showed that Estrada had no involvement in the scam.
“It may help us because it just goes to show that Senator
Jinggoy doesn’t have any hand in the scam other than the project identification,” Suarez said.
Luy is the entrusted financial officer of accused mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, but turned back on his former employer after Napoles detained him on suspicions that he was starting his own scam.
The court’s hearing on the pork barrel scam has resulted in the detention of three senators – Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. in the Philippine National Police Custodial Center, and Juan Ponce Enrile under hospital arrest.
Meanwhile, Napoles is detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig with Enrile’s co-accused and resigned chief of staff Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes.
RELATED STORIES
Luy anxious as Sandigan hears his bank accounts, flashy cars
Luy tells of forging signatures with both hands