Ex-Jinggoy aide surfaces to tell all on pork scam

MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) - Ruby Tuason, a former aide for Senator Jinggoy Estrada, returned to the country from San Francisco early Friday morning and proceeded to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Tuason's lawyer, Dennis Manalo, said that she is prepared to spill the "truth" about the multi-billion peso "pork barrel" scam.

Tuason also served as social secretary of former President Joseph Estrada, the senator’s father, who is now the mayor of Manila.

"Ang kanyang sasabihin ay katotohanan lamang, hindi hihigit doon at hindi kukulang doon," Manalo said in an interview over radio dzMM.

Tuason is also prepared to return ill-gotten money to the national coffers if she is proven to have received kickbacks from the scam believed to be masterminded by detained businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, the lawyer added.

"Handa po siyang magsauli ng perang kanyang nakuha galing sa mga transaksyon na ito," Manalo said.

Tuason sought to be placed under the Witness Protection Program along with other pork scam whistleblowers led by Benhur Luy. The DOJ granted her admission into the program as of 8:30 on Friday morning.

Tuason was accused of facilitating the processing of transactions transferring Estrada's and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile's Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to Napoles' group of fraudulent non-government organizations.

The DOJ named Tuason among the respondents in the plunder, malversation, graft and bribery charges filed against Senators Estrada, Enrile and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. before the Office of the Ombudsman in September 2013.

Review: Summary of plunder, malversation complaints vs Napoles, 8 lawmakers

Manalo said that her client was approached by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in the US to return to the country for questioning. Tuason left the country last August.

"Siya po ay gumawa ng sinumpaang salaysay at sumagot sa mga katanungan ng National Bureau of Investigation tungkol po sa ongoing case na tinatawag na PDAF at Malampaya fund scam," Manalo said.

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