Ruby Tuason Personally Delivered ‘Kickbacks’ to Jinggoy

Controversial Ruby Tuason on Thursday revealed before the Senate blue ribbon committee her reported transactions with Senator Jinggoy Estrada over the alleged million kickbacks from pork barrel funds.

Tuason said her first transaction with Senator Estrada was on December 3, 2007 where Estrada received 25 million as commission for his pork barrel fund channeled to Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC).

The potential state witness said she delivered bagfuls of money to Estrada’s office in the senate, but could hardly recall its exact amounts. Tuason narrated in the hearing that in delivering the money, she would pass through the Senate basement to avoid inspection, and will be met by Estrada’s staff before proceeding to his office.

She also said that when she delivers cash in huge amounts, she will bring with her bigger bags.

“If the amount is small, like P1 million or P2 million, kasya in my bag. That will fit in my bag. If it’s bigger than that, we need a big bag,” Tuason said.

Tuason also said that in 2004, she personally delivered P5.7 million to Senator Estrada’s residence in Greenhills in San Juan City but was eventually cancelled by Estrada.

Senator Estrada on Tuesday denied receiving money from Tuason saying that the latter’s affidavit was purposely fabricated to drag him down on the plunder charges. He also added that the figures of the alleged kickbacks given to him were “jacked up.”

Estrada said “The reason why Mrs. Tuason and Benhur Luy met [on Monday] was to, of course, tally the figures. Dahil hindi alam kung magkano raw ang binigay sa akin. So ijajack up na nila iyon to reach the threshold for plunder.”

Tuason,in her affidavit with the NBI, admitted to personally delivering ‘kickbacks’ to Estrada and Gigi Reyes, former chief-of-staff of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.

Tuason, Enrile, Estrada and Reyes are all facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

Source: Gma News Online