Loot, but no looter SKETCHES By Ana Marie Pamintuan Yesterday at the Senate, PDAF scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy claimed he prepared P960,000 in cash, on orders of alleged scam brains Janet Napoles, that was given in a paper bag to Dennis Cunanan, director general of the Technology Resource Center (TRC). Cunanan insisted he received no kickbacks from the use of the TRC for the PDAF scam. His testimony can corroborate the story of socialite Ruby Tuason, considered the missing link who can directly pin down Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla and circumstantially implicate Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile. Even if Cunanan received kickbacks, however, he can still be accepted as a state witness. But he can be made to do a Tuason, who has promised to return P40 million that she estimated she received in kickbacks. Judging from his answers to the senators’ grilling yesterday, Cunanan is not prepared to let go of even a cent of his assets. Tuason, according to a blabbermouth immigration officer, left the country a few days ago ostensibly to raise the P40 million. Some quarters have wondered whether P40 million is a fair amount to return to Juan de la Cruz, or laughably small; her residence alone in Makati’s exclusive Dasmariñas Village should be worth more. The buzz is that prosecutors are still working to get a missing link to directly pin down Enrile himself. Perhaps his former chief of staff Gigi Reyes can be persuaded to talk – unless she is considered a principal in the scam. Reyes is reportedly in Morocco, which has no extradition treaty with the Philippines. But Morocco, like the Philippines, has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which has been in effect for several years now. Manila can invoke the convention to seek the turnover of Reyes to the Philippine government in connection with a plunder case. If Enrile is to be cleared in the PDAF scam, his only strategy is to pin the blame on Reyes, to establish in court that she acted on her own even if he had authorized her in writing to act on his behalf in the utilization of his PDAF. Reyes has indicated that she is unhappy with her former boss’ legal strategy. If prosecutors keep at it, they might yet entice her to talk. Like Tuason, Reyes may also have to turn over to the state a considerable amount of assets if she wants to turn state witness. According to the grapevine, the assets include an unfinished dwelling in Forbes Park, home of the country’s richest, famous and notorious. From the ill-gotten wealth cases of the past, we should learn a lesson. Stopping plunder requires two elements: going after the perpetrators, and preventing them or anyone close to them from enjoying the fruits of corruption. There can’t be one without the other.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 02:00:44 +0000