Their accuser may have shown a “selective” memory, but Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada are by no means cleared from the issue of millions of pesos in insertions in the General Appropriations Acts (GAAs) for 2023 and 2025.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this Thursday evening as he said allowing the two to face their accusers does not mean they are cleared.
“By any measure, Senators Villanueva and Estrada have not been cleared, at least on the issue of budget insertions involving infrastructure projects in Bulacan worth P600M and P355M respectively, as alleged by Engr Brice Hernandez,” he said on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Pa Lusot Sina Sen. Estrada at Villanueva sa Isyu ng Budget Insertions
At Thursday’s hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Lacson said P600 million supposedly for flood control projects in Bulacan was found in the Unprogrammed Fund under the 2023 GAA, which Hernandez earlier linked to Villanueva. Villanueva had denied the allegation.
Lacson noted the P600 million was culled from documents provided by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian contained in the slides.
Hernandez had pointed out during Thursday’s hearing that Villanueva’s alleged flood control projects came from unprogrammed funds in the 2023 GAA.
“There are seven to eight items worth P75 million each, exactly P600 million,” Lacson said, but told Hernandez he had a “selective memory” as he could not answer Lacson’s other questions.
“I’m telling you, hindi pwedeng selective dito. Pag nangako kang magsasabi ng totoo sabihin mo di lang kung convenient (I’m telling you, you cannot be selective here. If you promise to tell the truth, it must be the whole truth, not what’s convenient for you),” he told Hernandez.
On the other hand, Lacson said his office found in the regular budget of the 2025 GAA the P355 million in infrastructure projects in Bulacan that Hernandez linked to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Estrada similarly denied Hernandez’s allegations.
Lacson, in another post on X, said he allowed the two senators to take part in the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing because it is a person’s basic right to face his accuser.
“It is a person’s basic right to confront his accuser. In case you didn’t notice, I did not clear the two senators on the issue of budget insertions bcoz the budget books validate Brice Hernandez’s allegations based on my own staff’s research, at least in the case of Sen Estrada,” he said.
“Every person, ordinary or senator, has equal rights. I actually consulted my legal staff before making that decision to allow them. On the other hand, the two senators have not been cleared of the budget insertions under the 2023 and 2025 GAA’s. I made that very clear today,” he added.
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Lacson: Hindi Pa Lusot Sina Sen. Estrada at Villanueva sa Isyu ng Budget Insertions
Maaaring “selective” ang memorya ng dumawit sa kanila, pero hindi ibig sabihin nito ay lusot na sina Senators Joel Villanueva at Jinggoy Estrada sa usapin ng daan-daang milyong pisong insertions sa General Appropriations Acts (GAAs) para sa 2023 at 2025.
Ito ang binigyang-diin ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Huwebes ng gabi, na nagsabing ang pagpapahintulot sa dalawang senador na harapin ang kanilang mga accuser ay hindi nangangahulugang nalinis na sila.
“By any measure, Senators Villanueva and Estrada have not been cleared, at least on the issue of budget insertions involving infrastructure projects in Bulacan worth P600M and P355M respectively, as alleged by Engr Brice Hernandez,” ani Lacson sa X.
Sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee nitong Huwebes, sinabi ni Lacson na natagpuan ang P600 milyon na nakalaan umano para sa flood control projects sa Bulacan sa Unprogrammed Funds ng 2023 GAA, na iniuugnay ni Hernandez kay Villanueva. Itinanggi ni Villanueva ang alegasyon.
Ani Lacson, ang P600 milyon ay nakita sa dokumentong galing kay Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian at nakasama sa mga slide.
Sa pagdinig, itinuro ni Hernandez na ang umano’y flood control projects ni Villanueva ay mula sa unprogrammed funds sa 2023 GAA.
“There are seven to eight items worth P75 million each, exactly P600 million,” ani Lacson, pero sinabi rin niya kay Hernandez na may “selective memory” ito dahil hindi nito masagot ang iba pang tanong.
“I’m telling you, hindi pwedeng selective dito. Pag nangako kang magsasabi ng totoo sabihin mo di lang kung convenient,” ani Lacson kay Hernandez.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Lacson na may P355 milyon na infrastructure projects sa Bulacan na iniuugnay ni Hernandez kay Sen. Jinggoy Estrada ang natagpuan sa 2025 GAA. Itinanggi rin ni Estrada ang alegasyon.
Sa isa pang post sa X, sinabi ni Lacson na pinayagan niyang dumalo ang dalawang senador sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee dahil ito ay isang pangunahing karapatan ng sinuman na harapin ang kanyang accuser.
“It is a person’s basic right to confront his accuser. In case you didn’t notice, I did not clear the two senators on the issue of budget insertions bcoz the budget books validate Brice Hernandez’s allegations based on my own staff’s research, at least in the case of Sen Estrada,” ani Lacson.
“Every person, ordinary or senator, has equal rights. I actually consulted my legal staff before making that decision to allow them. On the other hand, the two senators have not been cleared of the budget insertions under the 2023 and 2025 GAA’s. I made that very clear today,” dagdag niya.
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ESTRADA AND VILLANUEVA SHOULD HAD INHIBIT THEMSELVES FROM THE BLUE RIBBON. I UNDERSTAND THE PROFESIONAL COURTESY THAT SEN. LACSON EXTENDED AS COLLEAGUES BUT THE PERCEPTION OF THIS SENATORS BEING IMPLICATED QUESTIONING RESOURCE PERSON AND DIRECTING THEIR LINE OF QUESTIONING TRYING TO CLEAR THEIR NAME. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THEIR CO-SENATORS DO THE QUESTIONING AND AT THE END THEY COULD EXONERATE JINGOY AND VILLANUEVA OR FIND THEM LIABLE FOR CORRUPTIONS..
Totoo Naman na may insertion talaga Peru Hindi napatunayan na Kay estrada yon dahil Wala syang Perma. And it is normal na may mga insertion sa badget dahil Meron mga opisyal na nanghingi ng dagdag pondo para sa karagdagang proyekto.