Cunanan lifestyle check OK, says DOJ

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) is open to subjecting former Technology Resource Center (TRC) general manager Dennis Cunanan to a lifestyle check to dispel questions on his credibility as a state witness in the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she sees no problem with the suggestion of Sen. Grace Poe that government scrutinize Cunanan’s lifestyle, including his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Poe earlier said she felt uncomfortable about Cunanan’s claim that he had never received kickbacks from projects implemented by fake non-government organizations of alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and funded with lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

“He (Cunanan) said he didn’t benefit financially from this. So I would like to think he is telling the truth... At the very least, if we take him into witness protection, number 1 he has to return whatever he may have benefited from, financially,” Poe told ABS-CBN News Channel.

De Lima agreed. “Such a process is always available, irrespective of his status as a state witness.”

But the DOJ chief pointed out that Cunanan’s status as provisional state witness would barely be affected even if it is proven that he had indeed pocketed kickbacks.

“Assuming arguendo that Cunanan benefited from the transactions coursed through his office – something he’s denying – that fact alone will not disqualify him for provisional WPP (Witness Protection Program) coverage, provided he meets the legal requirements, one of which is he does not appear to be the most guilty,” she explained.

Critics have said Cunanan should be made to return kickbacks just like another state witness, Ruby Tuason.

De Lima said they would allow Cunanan to face the Senate Blue Ribbon committee in its probe on the PDAF scam.

“Like Ruby Tuason, he also expressed willingness to testify before the said body. Part of the undertaking as WPP-covered witness is to cooperate in any and all official proceedings relative to the subject matter of their testimony,” she said.

When asked if she would call on former Cibac party-list congressman and now Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director General Joel Villanueva to vacate his post after being implicated by Cunanan in the PDAF scam, the DOJ chief answered, “No case has been filed versus Joel Villanueva, hence, no legal reason for him to go on leave.”

She said the National Bureau of Investigation, which is under the DOJ, is still evaluating the allegation.

In his 36-page sworn statement, Cunanan corroborated the testimonies of whistle-blowers implicating Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. in the PDAF scam.

He said Revilla and Estrada personally endorsed and lobbied for Napoles’ NGOs.

He claimed Estrada and Revilla would often confirm their endorsement of Napoles’ NGOs over the phone.

In Enrile’s case, Cunanan said only the senator’s chief-of-staff Gigi Reyes transacted with Napoles.

The three senators have vehemently denied the charges linking them to the pork barrel scam.