MANILA - Ruby Tuason, a former social secretary of ex-president Joseph Estrada, provided the vital link that allowed alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles to work with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuason confirmed in her sworn affidavit that she introduced Napoles to Senators Enrile and Estrada sometime in 2004. "Siya daw po ang nagpakilala si Janet Lim Napoles sa kanila. It is in the year 2004. Parehong taon. Pinakilala niya si Napoles kay Jinggoy tapos pinakilala niya si Napoles kay Senator Juan Ponce Enrile at ang kanyang chief of stafk kasi si Mrs. Napoles ang nakiusapa na i-link siya sa kanila," de Lima told reporters. "Si Jinggoy nga ayaw makipagkita kay Mrs. Napoles pero pinasabihan daw po si Senator Estrada ni Mrs. Napoles na bibigyan si Senator Jinggoy ng 40% less witholding tax of 5% for every business handled by Mrs. Napoles," she added. De Lima said Tuason also confirmed sometimes delivering the kickbacks personally to Enrile and Estrada. She said Tuason admitted earning a 1.5% "referral fee" for every deal that Napoles got. The justice secretary said Tuason's statements corroborates the earlier testimony of pork scam whistle-blowers that some lawmakers benefited from their dealings with Mrs. Napoles. "This is the first time that someone admitted personally giving the money to the lawmakers," she said. "This is slamdunk evidence. It was cash. Sometimes, she delivered to Jinggoy in the Senate. She sometimes passes the Senate parking so that the money would not be checked," she added. Napoles is accused of setting up fake non-government organizations that received billions of pesos in priority development assistance funds of lawmakers. A Commission on Audit report earlier said Enrile, Estrada and Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. funneled P1.23 billion of their pork barrel funds to Napoles NGOs from 2007 to 2009. Revilla gave P422.99 million in PDAF to Napoles NGOs, Enrile gave P407.39 million, and Estrada gave P396.25 million. ANC, February 7, 2014
