Delfin Lee wants to tell all in Senate probe

MANILA, Philippines - Jailed Globe Asiatique president Delfin Lee has manifested with the Supreme Court (SC) his willingness to attend the Senate probe on the P6.6-billion housing project anomaly in Pampanga.

In a compliance filed on Aug. 5, Lee gave his consent to the request of Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito to the high court to allow him to appear at the hearing of the Senate committee on urban planning, housing and resettlement.

Ejercito made the request after San Fernando, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 42 Presiding Judge Maria Amifaith Fider Reyes refused to allow Lee to appear in the Senate investigation.

Lee vowed to tell the truth about accusations that his company defrauded the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) of almost P7 billion in housing loans in Pampanga.

“This has been long overdue, and I have been expressing my desire to be given the chance to at least present to the senators and to the public the truth behind this alleged scam,” Lee said through his lawyer Rony Garay.

Lee expressed hope that his testimony before the Senate panel would expose the truth behind the controversy.

“Pag-IBIG’s unending efforts to misinform the public will end should I be given the chance to lay down the facts,” he said.

The Senate hearing on the housing scam has been delayed due to the court’s refusal to allow Lee to participate in its deliberations.

Lee has a pending petition in the SC questioning the legality of his arrest, detention and trial for syndicated estafa.

He said his continued detention is in violation of his constitutional rights.

He added the syndicated estafa filed against him and his co-accused had been quashed by the Court of Appeals.