Actor Mat Ranillo III sends feelers that he will help pork probe

(Updated 3:47 p.m.) Actor Mat Ranillo III has been identified as having an alleged role in the pork barrel scam. Now he has sent word that he will cooperate in the investigation, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

Ranillo was linked to the scam last year by whistleblower Benhur Luy, but he was mentioned again on national TV on Thursday by Ruby Tuason during her testimony at the Senate.

De Lima said she was told the justice department has received feelers from Ranillo but refused to give other details, GMA News' Lia Mañalac del Castillo reported Friday on GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

 

"Naririnig ko rin na parang may feelers from Mr. Mat Ranillo so we would welcome that. Let's see kung ano iyong magiging value ng kanyang testimony if and when he cooperates," De Lima said.

Ranillo, who has played Christ and San Lorenzo Ruiz in the movies, has been linked to the pork barrel scam for allegedly signing vouchers for the kickbacks supposedly received by Senator Jinggoy Estrada and his mother, former First Lady and Senator Loi Estrada. Ranillo was mentioned again on national TV by whistleblower Ruby Tuason during her testimony on Thursday.

Some of the vouchers were submitted in court by Ranillo in his legal dispute against JLN Corporation, a company owned by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

 

The DOJ will still be studying the possible testimony of Ranillo and its contribution on the investigation being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation.

 

"Ang first step namin ay kung ano ang alam niya at ishi-share niya. Then we'll see kung ano ang magiging value niya," De Lima said.

The television report said that since Ranillo was not among the respondents in the complaint on the pork scam, he can be considered as an ordinary witness.

 

"So puwedeng ordinary witness lang siya na pwedeng makatulong sa kaso," De Lima added.



Ranillo has acted mostly in TV soaps in recent years, but in his youth was considered a matinee idol. He played Jesus Christ in "Kristo" in 1996, and in 1988 landed the lead role in "Lorenzo Ruiz... The Saint... A Filipino!"

Ranillo is among the personalities to be called by the Senate blue ribbon committee in its next hearing on the pork barrel scam. Others to be summoned are Loi Estrada and her former aide, Justa Tantoco; Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson Zenaida Ducut; and Jess Santos, former lawyer of ex-First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

 

Aside from Ranillo, the DOJ also received feelers from other accused in the pork barrel and Malampaya scams. De Lima refused to say who were these people, the same television report said.

 

Meanwhile, De Lima defended Ruby Tuason from critics and senators who said the potential state witness' testimony during Thursday's hearing by the Senate blue ribbon committee was insufficient.

 

The Justice secretary said Tuason did not clearly recall the dates and the amounts of the supposed kickbacks as she was only concerned with the commissions she received.

De Lima added that Tuason was a go-between so she [Tuason] thought that delivering the money was part of her job and she left to Benhur Luy the task of recording it.

 

De Lima added that Tuason's failure to state all the details was proof that she was not coached by the NBI as claimed by Estrada, and that the witness was not forced to answer matters she  has no knowledge of.

 

De Lima also said they have documentary evidence on the alleged participation of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile in the scam so there is no need for Tuason to talk about it.  — with Amita Legaspi and Mark Merueñas/RSJ/HS, GMA News