Ligot absent from Senate fund scam hearing

“Gusto ko yung magkokonvert sa ISAFP tao ko!” This is the admission of George Rabusa former head of the comptroller family (J-6) when Jinggoy was asking the questions during the current hearings on AFP funds conversion hearings. Colonel Cirillo Donato, the former assistant of George Rabusa was grilled on the dispensation of funds within the budget division of the AFP which Rabusa controlled. All told, he was handling the funds that were being dispensed by Rabusa for the operations of the office. A civilian budget officer, Perla Valerio, testified that indeed funds were released and she admittedly was also receiving an allowance over and above their regular salaries. Donato admitted that he was receiving 20,000 a month while Valerio was receiving 10,000. Rabusa however said they were receiving 100,000 and 20,000 respectively. Donato also admitted that he received a car from Rabusa as a personal gift, but he did not know that it came from the funds of the AFP.

Senator Enrile for his part was fuming as General and Mrs. Ligot were absent from todays hearing due to health problems. Senate doctors were sent to the home of General Ligot to verify the claim.

Senator Drillon for his part was less arrogant and scathing on his questioning of Ligot’s brother in law, Eduardo Yambao, who answered most of the questions posed to him. Both seemed to be in a cooperative mood during today’s hearings. Yambao’s request to be removed from the watch list was granted.

General Diomedio Villanueva denied signing any rental agreement for the safehouse which according to him George Rabusa had facilitated. He admitted having land in Tagaytay, but this was bought in 1998 long before he assumed the position of AFP Chief.

Senator Enrile posed the question on why there was a need for fund conversion when the AFP had sufficient budgets. His disappointment was apparent when he said to Rabusa: What have you done? What have you done in managing the AFP. This is mismanagement as during my time there these things were unheard and not done alluding to the massive conversions.

It seems that Rabusa is padding most of his testimonies most specially those involving money as his testimonies do not really jibe with those of the other resource persons. Donato, a junior officer then, would be a victim of Rabusa for corrupting him as well as the whole of the J-staff. Whenever Rabusa is asked about questions on responsibility, he would either pass it on to his higher official or his lower employee. In essence he is shirking away from the fault and even responsibility for the fund conversion that has marred that AFP. Should we believe Rabusa on all his claims? We must not take all his testimonies as god truth as he is one of the ringleaders in the scam, if at all, the greatest corruptor in the whole mess. Yes we can blame the generals for looking the other way. After all they were recipients of Rabusa’s offers and tidings. Yes we can blame the junior officers because they tolerated the system that Rabusa set in place together with Generals Garcia and Ligot.

Jinggoy cites Ligot and wife for contempt

Jinggoy Estrada was stumped by the continuous invocation of the Ligot couple of their right to self-incrimination. Mrs. Ligot admitted having land in Muntinlupa, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and other lands that she stated are included in the pending cases against them. Estrada threatened the couple with contempt. He contended that properties included in the forfeiture case are memorized by Mrs. Ligot but those that are not included are lost to her memory when facing the Senate committee. She however stated that she could go home and try to recall the properties.

On all her 43 travels abroad, she was invoking her right to self incrimination stating only that her first travel was in 1981 and her last trip she could not remember to which Estrada stated that it was February 20, 2004 flight number PR 102 to San Francisco together with the wife of former General Angelo Reyes. Estrada added that they departed together and arrived together several times.

Ligot admitted that his salary as P30,000.00 per month as a brigadier general. How can your wife travel to so many countries and who paid for it asked Estrada. Who paid for these travels asked Senator Escudero in aid of the beleaguered and befuddled Estrada who could not extract any answer from Mrs. Ligot. The reply was simple. PASENSYA NA PO KAYO YOUR HONOR, I STILL INVOKE MY RIGHT TO SELF INCRIMINATION. To which Estrada pushed for citing the couple for contempt. When Rabusa was asked who was paying for the trips from 2000 to 2002 he said the Executive Assistant of the constant companion books the tickets. According to Rabusa who was also a constant companion to the trips abroad, he confirmed that he provided around 10,000 dollars to the constant companion. Rabusa further stated that the “pabaon or allowances” reached around 200,000 pesos per trip. It is unknown however how much Rabusa allotted for himself and his wife.

The Senate hearings are pre-empting the Sandiganbayan court hearings based on the questions of Estrada. Attorney Zialcita, legal adviser of Ligot cannot comment on the Tanay property under sub judice and pending in the Sandganbayan.

Should the contempt order come through, if the committee finds it so necessary will send it to the address of Mr. and Mrs. Ligot as stated by Senator Guingona. However in a hilarious exchange between Ms. Ligot and Estrada, they bargained about the contempt motion. Asked of her preference on whether she should share a room with General Ligot if cited for contempt, Mrs. Ligot retorted that she would rather not go to jail. She added however that she would still give the same answer to questions posed by Estrada.

On the other hand, brother in law of general Ligot invoked his right to privacy on the probing questions of Estrada and Senator Drillon regarding the Esenza condominium property.

Estrada noted that the hearings are being hampered and setting a precedent for further hearings where the witnesses will be insisting on their right to self incrimination. With this they ended the hearing.

A caucus between the Senators will be held later on to discuss the issues of contempt and procedures.