Press Release
February 7, 2014

Miriam to grill Ruby Tuason on pork barrel scam

Though still suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has written to Blue Ribbon Committee Chairperson Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, reserving her right to question Ms. Ruby Tuason, a co-accused in the plunder case involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

Tuason is a former aide of former President now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. In their affidavits, whistleblowers said Tuason received money directly from Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam, on behalf of Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. The name "Ruby Tuason" appears in the ledger of Benhur Luy, as among those who received millions of pesos in commissions for Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada.

"As a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee, I respectfully recommend a public hearing to receive the testimony of Ms. Ruby Tuason, who is reported today to have been admitted to the Witness Protection Program. She should testify on charges of alleged plunder now pending with the Ombudsman, against herself, as well as certain senators. Should you approve this proposal, I would also like to reserve my interpellation for Ms. Tuason," Santiago's letter said.

According to reports, the Senate blue ribbon committee will invite Ruby Tuason next week to shed light on the "pork barrel" scam.

The senator has requested that she be given a definite time slot to interpellate Tuason, explaining that she can only function up to a maximum of two hours.

"I would appreciate it if you could instruct the committee secretary to give me a definite time slot, maybe at about 11:00 a.m., for my interpellation. I continue to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, and I have to limit my excursion outside of my home," Santiago wrote.

Santiago, a former Regional Trial Court Judge, previously questioned Ms. Janet Napoles, one of the principal suspects in the multi-billion pork barrel scam, in a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing. The senator, however, has pointed to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile as the scam's mastermind.

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