‘No more witnesses after Richard Garcia episode’

Principal jueteng whistle-blower Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz lost two potential witnesses following the turnaround of self-confessed illegal gambling operator Richard Garcia.

Cruz admitted yesterday one of his possible witnesses backed out because of the highly politicized environment in the Senate hearings while the other grew discouraged by the sacrifices he would have to make in testifying.

The bishop has been the guardian and presenter of key witnesses in the Senate jueteng inquiry. He said he had planned to come out with two new witnesses who would appear at scheduled hearings at the Senate next week, but they had become apprehensive over the recent developments.

"I was supposed to present two more witnesses, but the first witness said that he no longer wanted to appear at the Senate and would just make his statement before the bar of public opinion, probably meaning the media, because there is so much politics in the Senate. He said the Senate was too politicized," Cruz told dwIZ radio.

Cruz said the second witness became apprehensive after seeing Garcia’s televised press conference last Thursday.

Garcia had claimed he was being used by opposition lawmakers to directly implicate President Arroyo in illegal gambling payoffs.

Cruz said the second witness took note of the hardships being endured by Garcia in testifying before the Senate. Garcia claimed his life and family had been affected by his testifying against jueteng operations and linking members of the First Family to payoffs.

"After seeing Garcia’s press conference, he (the second witness) began to have second thoughts about testifying," Cruz said.

"He did not realize that being a witness was difficult because he would have to sacrifice, be away from his family. A witness would also have to change safe houses and make do with (only) a few accommodations. So maybe next week, I would not be able to present any new witnesses," the prelate said.

Cruz said the two new witnesses were supposed to give accounts similar to the claims made by Michaelangelo Zuce, a former Presidential Staff Officer 4.