Santiago: Questioned trip had Palace OK, family paid their way

Former Dangerous Drugs Board chairman Dionisio Santiago has denied that he and his family went on a European junket at the expense of the government as alleged in a letter-complaint supposedly coming from the DDB employees' union.

According to Susan Enriquez's report on "24 Oras",  Santiago said that his trip to Vienna to attend a conference on illegal drugs was covered by a travel authority from Malacañang.

He said his family caught up with him in Budapest but added that his loved ones paid their own way.

"Nag-rendezvous. They're coming from New York, dumaan ng Rome. From Rome nag renta sila ng van, nag drive sila. Pagkatapos sumama sa min pag punta namin ng Budapest," Santiago said.

As regards the house supposedly from the late Ozamis City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, the former DDB chairman said it was a different Santiago who was implicated in the complaint raised in the letter.

"Siyang mag-explain kay Presidente. Saan niya pinagkukuha yung mga data niya?
Ako ba yung boyfriend ni Nova? Santiago pero hindi ako," Santiago said.

Nova is the daughter of the late Parojinog.

President Rodrigo Duterte recently asked Santiago to resign after he questioned the viability of the mega rehabilitation center built in Nueva Ecija.

Only 400 patients are using the facility that could contain 10,000.

On Monday, presidential spokesman Secretary Harry Roque said that Santiago was let go not only because of his contrary views but also because of alleged corruption.

Roque presented to the media a letter supposedly coming from a member of the DDB Employees' Union, alleging the junket and the house from the slain drug lord.

The union has since denied sending Malacañang the letter.

The sender, a certain Priscilla Herrera, is also not a member of the union. She has also reportedly denied having anything to do with the letter-complaint supposedly received by Malacañang on October 25.  —NB, GMA News