Jinggoy challenges claim ex-Sen. Angara did not know where P50M DAP went

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday challenged former Senator Edgardo Angara's claim that Angara did not know where his P50 million Disbursement Allocation Program fund went.

“Sen. Angara actually need not look far where he spent his fund allocation. Perhaps looking into the COA [Commission on Audit] Special Audit Report which made a finding that he has funneled his PDAF to his very own foundation, the Kalusugan ng Bata, Karunungan ng Bayan, Inc. where he was listed as an Incorporator/BOD/Stockholder, may shed light into his uncertainty,” Estrada said in a press statement.

He said he found “quite disturbing to the point of being reckless” Angara’s statement on his recently-launched biography, “In the Grand Manner” that he was not sure where the P50 million went.

“And if Sen. Angara would still feign certain misgivings, maybe Ms. Ruby Tuason can refresh his memories where his PDAF allocations went,” Estrada added.

Ruby Tuason is a state witness in the P10 billion pork barrel scam case, in connection to which Estrada is facing plunder and graft charges.

She was social secretary to former President Joseph Estrada and was tagged by whistleblowers as the one collecting kickbacks from Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations on behalf of Estrada and Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.

She is also allegedly involved in the misuse of the P900-million Malampaya Fund.

The younger Estrada also defended himself from Angara's statement that his disclosure of the additional allocation of P50 million to senators who voted to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona was "unfair" and "reckless."

“I take exception to the remarks of my former colleague Sen. Angara, as I believe it was neither reckless nor unfair, but a statement of fact,” he said.

He said that it was through his exposé on September 25, 2013 that the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) was first brought to light. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad later admitted that the funds for the senators were taken from the DAP.

“Without such exposé, the people would not have known about the unlawful and arbitrary use of public funds by Sec. Abad under the Aquino administration, which was eventually declared as unconstitutional by no less than the Supreme Court,” he said.

Estrada reiterated that he stands by his decision to vote for Corona's conviction and that he was never influenced by the monetary incentive which came after the fact. — BM, GMA News