HIGHLIGHTS: Tuason testifies at the Senate

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Ruby Tuason, the ex-secretary of former President Joseph Estrada, faces the Senate blue ribbon committee to testify on the pork barrel scam.

MANILA, Philippines – Ruby Tuason, the ex-secretary of former President Joseph Estrada, faced the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday, February 13, to testify on the pork barrel scam.

After a year in hiding in California, Tuason returned to Manila last week to corroborate allegations against senators Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile. Tuason admitted facilitating the turnover of funds in the scam where lawmakers allegedly siphoned their pork barrel to the fake NGOs of alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. (READ: Ruby Tuason: ‘I personally delivered Jinggoy’s shares’)

Tuason, who faces plunder charges over the scam, admitted receiving 1.5% of every successful project as a ‘referral fee.’ She agreed to return the money in return for conditional immunity. Aside from plunder charges over the pork barrel scam, Tuason is also accused of receiving P242 million in kickbacks from the Malampaya Fund.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Tuason’s testimony is ‘slam dunk evidence’ against Estrada and Enrile, but the two senators downplayed the weight of her testimony. (READ: Tuason: Key witness or Trojan horse?)

Along with Tuason, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and whistleblower Benhur Luy also took the stand.

Watch the hearing below.

Follow updates via our liveblog below.

Rappler.com 

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