Jinggoy drops bombshell today

MANILA, Philippines - Opposition Sen. Jinggoy Estrada will name some of his colleagues in the Senate and two members of the House of Representatives when he delivers his promised bombshell today in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Estrada will answer point by point the special Commission on Audit (COA) report, which identified him as among the senators who conspired with Janet Lim-Napoles in siphoning millions of pork barrel funds to bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) from 2007 to 2009.

Estrada, along with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Bong Revilla, is facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In an interview, Estrada said he would defend himself over accusations that he may have committed plunder for tapping NGOs linked to Napoles.

He is expected to get back at his colleagues who prodded the COA auditors to identify the senators tagged in the pork barrel scandal during the first hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

Estrada did not name names, but it was Senate Majority Leader Alan Cayetano who allegedly cast the first stone against legislators linked to the pork barrel scam.

In the plunder complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation before the ombudsman, whistle-blower Benhur Luy said that Estrada received a total of P183.793 million in kickbacks through his personal secretary from bogus NGOs.

The amounts were part of Estrada’s Priority Development Assistance Fund from 2004 to 2012.

COA records showed that the senator tapped two NGOs – Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. and Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation Inc. – linked to Napoles.

“As per COA’s report, Sen. Estrada also gave funds to other NGOs which are not connected to Napoles,” read a portion of the plunder complaint against Estrada.