DOJ: Mat Ranillo’s cooperation ‘welcome’

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Friday, February 14, she “would welcome” the cooperation of veteran actor Mat Ranillo III in the plunder cases filed against lawmakers involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

“Naririnig ko rin na parang may feelers from Mr Mat Ranillo, so we would welcome that. Let’s see kung ano ‘yung magiging value ng kanyang testimony if and when he cooperates,” De Lima told reporters. (I have heard that Mr Mat Ranillo has sent feelers, so we would welcome that. Let’s see what will be the value of his testimony if and when he cooperates.)

De Lima added that Ranillo is eligible as an ordinary witness because he is not a respondent in any of the complaints related to the pork barrel scam, where billions of pesos in lawmakers’ PDAF, coursed through implementing agencies, were released to fake non-governmental organizations.

“Ang first step namin, kung ano ang alam niya at ishi-share niya. Then we’ll see kung ano ang magiging value niya,” while the DOJ will also look into Ranillo’s role in the scam. (Our first step is to determine what he knows and what he’s willing to share. Then we’ll see what his value will be [to the case].)

The justice secretary earlier said the DOJ will be investigating Ranillo and others named in the sworn affidavit of potential state witness Ruby Tuason. (READ: DOJ to probe Mat Ranillo III in PDAF scam)

Tuason, in her 15-page affidavit, tagged Ranillo as the person who delivered what was supposed to be Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s commission from the scam.

The money from a cancelled transaction between Estrada and alleged scam mastermind Janet Napoles eventually landed in the hands of Ranillo who delivered it to the house of socialite Justa Tantoco, Tuason revealed in her affidavit.

Tuason alluded to a P11.9-million transaction shown in the records of whistleblower Benhur Luy.

“Based on the accounting record of Benhur Luy (Annex C of Joint Affidavit), the aforesaid transaction was consummated through a certain Mr Matt Ranillo showing the delivery of the sum of Php11,970,000.00 to a house at No. 1564 Mahogany Street, Dasmariñas Village, Makati City,” she said.

Tuason, whose testimony links Senators Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile as direct recipients of kickbacks from the pork barrel scam, was a business partner of Napoles. She is now in the custody and protection of the DOJ. Her role as a possible state witness, immune from prosecution, is subject to further investigation.

‘Tuason was not coached’

Tuason appeared before the Senate on Thursday, February 13, for a hearing on the pork barrel scam. 

De Lima denied allegations that Tuason was being coached by the justice department on her testimony, adding that she is confident of the documentary evidence supporting Tuason’s narration.

Tuason, in her sworn testimony before the Senate, failed to ascertain that Enrile knew of the PDAF kickbacks that she had personally handed to the senator’s former chief of staff, lawmaker Gigi Reyes.

“She was just being overly cautious,” said De Lima. “But we’re not worried about that na walang categorical [answer]. Kasi para sa amin nand’yan na ‘yung mga ebidensiya na alam ito ni Senator JPE, kasi nand’yan ‘yung documentary evidence. Nandun ‘yung mga request, endorsement dun sa projects – dun sa pag-a-identify ng projects, ng NGO.”

(She was just being overly cautious. But we’re not worried about that, that there is no categorical [answer]. Because for us, there’s the evidence that Senator Enrile is aware. Because there is documentary evidence. There are the requests, endorsements for the projects – in identifying the projects of the non-governmental organizations.)

On the reservations expressed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV after Tuason failed to state how much in kickbacks were being handed to the two senators, De Lima said she respects Trillanes’ sentiment.

De Lima defended Tuason, however, saying she was not tasked to do a religious record-keeping of the transactions.

“You must understand na si Mrs Tuason, she admits she is the go-between, meaning, ‘yung agent, ‘yung middleman...so she didn’t deem it proper or desirable na she would keep track or she would also record ‘yung mga hinahatid niyang kickback na ‘yun,” she said.

(You must understand that Mrs Tuason was a go-between, meaning, the agent, the middleman…so she didn’t deem it proper or desirable that she would keep track or she would record the kickbacks being delivered.)

“Hindi niya masabi ‘yung detalye or hindi niya maalala ‘yung exact amounts and then exact dates. ‘Yung year lang ang naalala niya, 2008,” she added. (She won’t be able to tell those details or she won’t remember exact amounts and exact dates. She just remembers the year, 2008.)

The lack of these exact details makes her testimony more believable, De Lima said.

“What I am trying to say, it is actually plausible and makes her more credible na di n’ya pilit na ibigay ang detalye na di n’ya kayang i-provide,” she said. (What I’m trying to say is, it is actually plausible and makes her credible that she is not forcing the details that she is unable to provide.) – Rappler.com