Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s allegations of plunder against Senator Richard Gordon for pocketing Philippine Red Cross (PRC) funds was only the tip of the iceberg.
Trillanes said on Wednesday that Gordon’s anomalies in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will also be revealed as the Office of the Ombudsman investigates the senator for plunder allegations.
“Pambungad pa lang ito. Mayroon tayong information na nakukuha na anomalies sa Subic,” Trillanes said in an ambush interview after filing plunder raps against Gordon and PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang.
Trillanes claimed Gordon had a hand in the ouster of presidential ally Martin Diño as SBMA chair.
Diño was replaced by now SBMA chairman Wilma Eisma, Gordon’s former executive assistant when he was still the SBMA administrator.
“‘Yung tao niya sa Subic dati niyang executive assistant so marami ring nagbibigay ng information na kung anong nangyari diyan, siya rin ang responsable kaya na-ease out din itong si Mr. Martin Diño na supposed to be kapartido rin ni Presidente pero gano’n itong si Gordon kapag nag-leverage,” he said.
Trillanes accused Gordon of diverting his pork fund worth up to P193 million to the Red Cross, which he chairs. He said Gordon used the Red Cross funds to finance his presidential campaign in 2010 and senatorial campaign in 2013.
The senator, a staunch critic of the administration, also slammed Gordon for his “hypocrisy.”
“Kung mag-preach siya doon sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee akala mo santo, ‘yon pala ganito ang ginagawa,” he said.
Gordon chairs the powerful blue ribbon committee which holds public officials accountable for any illegal activities.
If Gordon would file a countercharge against him, Trillanes said he was willing to face it because he has nothing to hide.
“Wala naman akong tinatago. Eh ‘yung amo niyang si President Duterte walang makita sa akin siya pa kasi wala naman tayong ginagawang mali,” he said. /cbb