Pangasinan barangay chairs deny receiving livelihood kits from Jinggoy's PDAF

Several barangay chairmen in Rosales, Pangasinan on Monday denied receiving livelihood kits funded by the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of former senator Jinggoy Estrada in 2010.

During the continuation of Estrada's plunder trial, the prosecution presented seven witnesses who said in their sworn affidavits that they were not aware of any distribution of livelihood modules and starter kits on manicure and pedicure.

The witnesses also said they don't know some of the names who appeared on the list of beneficiaries in their areas.

Out of the seven witnesses, five were barangay captains -- Ronnie Dacaymat of Cabalaongan Norte, Rodolfo Barcelona of Carmay West, Conrado Casanero of Rizal, Faustino Ricomano of Salvacion, and Remelita Bergantinos of San Angel -- when the anomalous project happened.

The remaining two were barangay councilors in 2010, but were elected as chairmen in the 2013 elections. They are Dionisio Diego of Tomana East and Isidro Metro of Carmay East.

Estrada was not present at the proceedings.

During cross-examination by Estrada's lawyers, the barangay chairmen insisted that the supposed distribution of livelihood kits happened in 2013.

Lawyer Paul Mar Arias asked Diego at the witness stand if he has a photographic memory of the list of beneficiaries in his barangay.

"Matanda na po ako. Nahihirapan na nga ako makaalala," Diego replied.

Estrada is facing plunder and 11 counts of graft for allegedly pocketing P183.793-million worth of kickbacks by allocating his PDAF to fake non-government organizations allegedly owned by scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. —ALG, GMA News