Enrile jokes with reporters on pork barrel scam

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Juan Ponce Enrile admitted in jest on Wednesday that he was the mastermind of the P10-billion “pork barrel” funds scam.

“Ako yun (I’m the one),”  Enrile  told reporters  when  asked  by a reporter  if  he would  identify the real mastermind of the scam  in a privilege speech that he would deliver this Wednesday.

“Hindi ba sabi nila, ako yun (They said it was me).  Ako daw yun e so titignan natin (So we will see),” he said.

Enrile also playfully answered questions of reporters before the session opened a little  past 3 p.m.

“Ano bang nakikita mo sa akin (What do you see in me?) May asim ako di ba (Do I still have it?),” he said when asked by reporters  how he felt before his speech .

Before this, Enrile reiterated that there  was “nothing unusual” with his  speech.

Enrile, who has been charged with plunder at the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the “pork” scam,  also assured that his speech would not be directed against  the Aquino administration.

“No. I have no any intention of harming anybody. I’m just trying to put into the records certain things that I know,”  he said.