Palace: Ruby Tuason’s story to boost plunder case vs legislators
Ruby Tuason. Photo by INQUIRER.net
Ruby Tuason’s testimony bolstered the government’s plunder case against legislators and their accomplices in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam and it is now up to the Ombudsman to appreciate the new evidence and bring charges against them, Malacañang said on Saturday.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda dismissed suggestions that by bringing Tuason in from the cold, the administration was encouraging people to benefit from conspiracies to commit crimes then wash themselves clean of any liability by turning state witness with government protection.
“Now we have someone who witnessed the giving of the funds to certain legislators,” Lacierda said in an interview on state-run radio dzRB.
“So, at least we will see now where the case will lead. [I]t strengthens the case of the (Department of Justice) and now it is up to the Ombudsman to weigh the evidence and file a case in the Sandiganbayan,” he said.
Tuason returned from the United States on Friday and corroborated the testimony of Benhur Luy and other whistle-blowers by saying she personally delivered kickbacks to Sen. Jinggoy Estada and to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile through his longtime chief of staff, Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes.
Article continues after this advertisementEstrada and Enrile are facing plunder charges in the Office of the Ombudsman, along with Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. and several others, including Tuason, for allegedly channeling P10 billion from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to phantom projects proposed by dubious nongovernment organizations set up by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and getting multimillion-peso kickbacks over the past 10 years.
Article continues after this advertisementLacierda defended the DOJ’s decision to take Tuason in as a provisional state witness and to give her refuge under the government’s Witness Protection Program.
He said there were requirements for acceptance as state witness and grant of government protection and one was that the accused should be the least guilty.
Lacierda also mentioned Tuason’s expressed intent to return the money she had received from the pork barrel racket.
He said Tuason’s status as state witness was provisional until Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales returned an approval after evaluating her testimony.
Lacierda said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima had found Tuason’s testimony to be “significant.”
De Lima on Friday said Tuason’s testimony would give the government “slam dunk evidence” in the prosecution of the accused in the pork barrel scam case.
“So let’s wait for that case to progress. At least it lifted the veil of mystery as to some of the transactions. Now, we have someone talking apart from the whistle-blowers,” Lacierda said.
He said taking in state witnesses was part of the Philippines’ criminal justice system.
Tuason’s situation is not unique, he said.
“This is a criminal procedure that applies to everyone,” he said.
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