DOJ confirms threats against ‘pork’ scam witness Cunanan

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday confirmed that former Technology Resource Center director general Dennis Cunanan and his family have been receiving security threats after he recently surfaced to become a state witness in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam case.

 

Though she refused to disclose the nature of the threats, De Lima said these are being directly sent to Cunanan.

 

De Lima said Ruby Tuason, another state witness in the scam case, has also been receiving security threats lately.

 

“Nung lumabas lang sila (Cunanan and Tuason) siyempre, before that wala naman 'yan (security threats)...so nung lumantad na sila, nag-umpisa na. But eto nga, these are recent reports, recent incidents, recent information na diretso na natatanggap ng mga witnesses,” De Lima told reporters.

 

“The alleged security concerns are directed not just sa state witnesses, but including their family,” she added.

 

De Lima said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has also received reports that the threats are coming from just one source.

 

“'Yung nire-report sa amin ng witnesses, isa ang pinanggagalingan but we cannot be disclosing details,” De Lima said.
 

She said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now investigating the reported threats.
 

“Pinapa-verify ko, but in the meantime, the WPP (Witness Protection Program) in coordination with NBI are doubling their efforts and security measures... We cannot afford to play it down, we cannot afford to ignore those (threats),” De Lima said.
 

She said that under the DOJ's WPP, if there are threats to the life of a witness, the government should also provide the security to his or her family.
 

De Lima however said that the Department has no right to restrict the movements of the witnesses in connection with the security threats.
 

“We can always advise them, we can always caution them against sa pagpunta sa mga events, but we cannot really prevent them kung gusto nila. We have no choice but just to accompany them and secure them... because again 'di namin ito mga preso, so 'di namin pwedeng pagbawalan,” De Lima said.
 

According to Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Angelica Pedro, Cunanan left for France on February 23. She said Cunanan has a travel authority from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). TRC is a sub-agency of DOST.

 

Cunanan at the Senate
 

De Lima meanwhile assured that Cunanan will attend the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the pork barrel scam on Thursday, March 6.
 

“Yes, kinonfirm na niya 'yun because there’s a subpoena. You cannot disobey the subpoena,” De Lima said.
 

Cunanan is expected to expose his alleged transactions with some senators, especially with Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in connection with the pork barrel scam.
 

In his affidavit, Cunanan revealed that Revilla personally ordered him to allocate his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to some of the bogus non-government organizations of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the scam. —Elizabeth Marcelo/KG, GMA News