Poe doubts Cunanan credibility

Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Santiago grilled Technology Resource Center (TRC) Director-General Dennis Cunanan. Senator Poe confronted Cunanan with conflicting statements he made; when at first he said he has no participation in handling Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) funds. Subsequently, he admitted that his participation was ministerial.

Whistleblower Benjamin Luy testified that he delivered P960,000 kickback to Cunanan through Evelyn De Leon when he visited the JLN Corp. office at Discovery Suites. At first, Cunanan denied he ever met Janet Lim-Napoles; only to admit subsequently that Napoles visited him at the TRC office. Confronted with Benhur Luy testimony, he was forced to admit he visited JLN Corp. office to inspect the non-governmental organization (NGO) offices.

It was brought out during the hearing that his appointment to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was disapproved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), headed by Karina David, because he is not a college graduate.

Cunanan testified he had talked to Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. to confirm their signatures on their endorsement letters. He also claimed he had talked to Atty. Gigi Reyes, chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. Estrada and Revilla denied having talked to him.

Senator Miriam Santiago said she finds Cunanan credible in spite of some inconsistencies.

Benhur Luy insisted that he saw Cunanan carrying the paper bag of money containing the P960,000 he brought into the conference room. Certainly, Luy’s testimony is more credible than Cunanan’s denial.

CIDG scalawags

After Chief Inspector Bienvenido Reydado and 14 others in the Pampanga Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) office were arrested, seven members of a kidnap-for-ransom group led by a Philippine army lieutenant, Noel Alipio, were arrested in Antipolo. Two members were also military men.

On Wednesday, the head of Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation Task Group, Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman and 11 others were relieved.  The group had confiscated two pieces of luggage containing shabu, but were not declared in their operations report.  They will face summary dismissal proceedings.

Sad to note that these three groups were headed by Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Army (PA) officers. Riding-in-tandem syndicates are also suspected to be headed by police or military men.

PNP Chief Alan Purisima ordered a thorough investigation of Reydado, who has been previously charged with wrongdoing as a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officer. The serious crime situation can be attributed to the presence of scalawags in the police force. President Aquino should look into the matter.

Delfin Lee arrested

Fugitive real estate magnate Delfin Lee was arrested by the Task Force Tugis at Hyatt Regency Hotel and Casino on Pedro Gil Street in Manila.

Lee has a price of P2-million reward on his head. He is charged with syndicated estafa before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pampanga, in connection with two housing projects funded by Pag-IBIG funds, totalling P7 billion.

Lee is one of several high-profile offenders, which include Retired General Jovito Palparan, former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, and former Dinagat Island congressman Ruben Ecleo Jr. Lee is now detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office in Pampanga.

Vice President Jejomar Binay welcomed the arrest of Delfin Lee.

De Lima’s expectations

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima expressed the hope that Janet Lim-Napoles would tell all and apply to be a state witness. This is the reason why she is being detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Senator Francis Escudero suggested that she be transferred to a regular jail. Senator Miriam Santiago also suggested to Atty. Gigi Reyes to come home and be a witness against her former boss, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. Senator Escudero also said that other non-Napoles NGOs are also guilty of misuse of PDAF funds.

Reduce income taxes

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares, in an interview, proposed that income taxes be reduced by 2015. She said corporate income taxes be reduced from 32 to 25%.

This is a welcome development because the Philippines had the third highest corporate income tax rates in Asia. It is expected though that Congress will take some time to pass this proposal.  UP Professor Benjamin Diokno said the proposal is long overdue.

Also pending in Congress is a bill raising the tax exemption of bonuses and allowances from P30,000 to P75,000.

2016 possibles

Vice President Jejomar Binay announced that Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao will be in the senatorial lineup of his new party in 2016. Binay also admitted that Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and Senator Jinggoy Estrada are under consideration for vice president.

Nacionalista Party (NP) Senator Alan Peter Cayetano told Pinky Webb in an ANC interview that he is planning to run for vice president in 2016. Contesting him is fellow NP Senator Bongbong Marcos.

Senator Grace Poe said she is definitely not running for higher position in 2016.

Tidbits: A Philippine National Police (PNP) report said that 1,000 high-powered firearms are missing.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) needs 9,000 additional policemen.

Jahang, a teacher of the Taglibi Elementary School, has been released by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Patikul, Sulu. Arsina Nanoh, vice mayor of Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan, was also released in Pagadian City.

Ruby Chan-Tuason left for the United States last March 2, but promised to return by April 2.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed tax evasion charges against former Chief Justice Renato Corona with the Court of Appeals (CA).

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised the crisis alert level in Venezuela from 1 (precautionary phase) to 2 (restriction phase).