Estrada first rejected meeting Napoles—Tuason

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Before Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada decided to deal with Janet Lim-Napoles, he once rejected meeting her a key witness in the pork barrel scam said Thursday.

Ruby Tuason disclosed that Napoles had wanted to meet Estrada.

“She told me to introduce her to him. So I told Sen. Estrada who dismissed the idea,” said Tuason before the blue ribbon committee.

When told about Estrada’s response, Tuason said Napoles accepted the news with regrets.

Tuason said Napoles, however,told her that she gave a 40 percent commission on projects.

She said that when she relayed Napoles’ message to Estrada he had a change of heart.

Tuason said since then said she served as a “go-between” between Napoles and Estrada.

Estrada later dealt directly with Napoles, Tuason said.

Tuason said that she met Napoles through her late husband Carlos Tuason back in 2004.

Tuason’s husband told her Napoles wanted to buy a house that she was selling.

When they met, Tuason said Napoles brightened up when she found out that Tuason had connections with Estrada.

Tuason, former social secretary of then president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, was also an alleged conduit for Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

Tuason fled to the US after the scandal broke out before returning to become state witness. She said she was bothered by her conscience.

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