Jinggoy: Ruby Tuason, Luy met to fabricate testimonies on ‘pork’ scam

Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday raised suspicion on the meeting between principal pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy and potential state witness Ruby Tuason on Monday.

 

In an interview, Estrada said Luy and Tuason may have cooked up fabricated testimonies so that their accounts of the alleged anomaly will become consistent.

 

"Ngayon, may lumabas nang bagong ledger si Tita Ruby. Wala namang ledger iyon. Ngayon gumawa na siya ng ledger para magtally ang figures. Of course, niluluto. These are all well-orchestrated," Estrada told reporters while laughing.

 

The senator said the pork barrel scam witnesses may have also "jacked up" figures of alleged kickbacks given to him so that he will be pinned down for plunder.

 

"The reason why Mrs. Tuason and Benhur Luy met yesterday [Monday] was to, of course, tally the figures. Dahil hindi alam kung magkano raw ang binigay sa akin. So ijajack up na nila iyon to reach the threshold for plunder," Estrada said.

 

He also said that National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials may have already "fed" Tuason with versions of testimonies that will support plunder charges they filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

 

Tuason met with Luy on Monday at the NBI to discuss her upcoming testimony before the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday.

Tuason's counsel, lawyer Dennis Manalo, earlier Tuason's affidavit corroborated the testimonies earlier made by pork barrel scam whistleblowers, led by Luy.

Both Luy and Tuason are expected to attend the continuation of the Senate probe on the alleged anomaly. Senator Teofisto Guingona III earlier said Tuason will be allowed to identify politicians supposedly involved in government fund scams.

Reenactments 

 

Estrada also belittled the affidavit executed by Tuason, which Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is enough to pin down the senator's involvement in the pork barrel scam.

 

"Walang specifics. There were no dates... Sabi niya binigyan niya ako ng P35 million. Ilang kilos iyon? Madadala niya ba iyon?" Estrada said.

 

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, for his part, said he may suggest reenactments, or even the weighing of bags of money, to be able to test the veracity of Tuason's testimony at the Senate.

 

"Anything is possible. We can reenact. We can inspect the Senate basement to be able to verify her [Tuason's] testimony," Cayetano said in a separate interview.

 

He likewise said that Thursday's hearing will be an opportunity to find out once and for all who is telling the truth.

 

"At least ngayon, mabubuo. May hamon si Senator Jinggoy. May akusasyon si Ruby. Makikita natin ngayon kung sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo," the Senate leader said.

 

Senators Estrada, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile are currently facing plunder raps before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving kickbacks from the scam. — RSJ, GMA News